
Book T4T14 



''" 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, Director 

Water-Stjpply Paper 335 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS 

OF THE 

SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE 
TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN 



BY 



ALEXANDER DEUSSEN 




■ CTpfe 



WASHINGTON 

i 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1914 



/ 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, Director 



Water- Supply Paper 335 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS 






OF THE 



SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE 
TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN 



BY 



ALEXANDER DEUSSEN 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1914 



i U 






d; af o. 

MN * 



s 



Mi 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction 13 

Physiography 14 

General character 14 

Topographic features 16 

Relief 16 

Coast prairie 16 

Kisatchie Wold 16 

Nacogdoches Wold 16 

Corsicana Cuesta and White Rock Escarpment 18 

Bottom lands 18 

Mounds and pimple plains 19 

Drainage 19 

Timber 21 

General geologic features 21 

Relation of geology to the occurrence of underground water 21 

Principles of stratigraphy 22 

Erosion and sedimentation 22 

The geologic column 22 

Subdivision of the geologic column. 23 

Systems ./. 23 

Formations : 23 

Fossils 24 

Nature and geologic distribution 24 

Importance 24 

Paleontologic units ; 25 

Geology of the Coastal Plain 25 

General features 25 

Stratigraphy of the Coastal Plain in eastern Texas 26 

Rock systems represented 26 

Carboniferous rocks 26 

Cretaceous rocks 26 

Tertiary and Quaternary rocks 27 

Tertiary system 29 

Eocene series 29 

Midway formation 29 

Name and correlations 29 

Occurrence and character 31 

Relations to adjacent formations 31 

Paleontology 32 

Detailed sections 33 

Brazos River section 33 

Falls County 35 

Limestone County 35 

Kaufman County 36 

Van Zandt County 36 



4 CONTEXTS. 

Geology of the Coastal Plain — Continued. 

Stratigraphy of the Coastal Plain in eastern Texas — Continued. 
Tertiary system — Continued. 

Eocene series — Continued. Page. 

Wilcox formation 37 

Name and correlation 37 

Occurrence and character 39 

Paleontology 40 

Detailed sections 41 

Brazos River section 41 

North of the Brazos 44 

Northeast Texas 44 

Sabine River section 46 

Claiborne group 51 

Mount Selman formation 51 

Name and correlation 51 

Occurrence and character 52 

Paleontology 52 

Detailed sections 52 

Brazos River section 52 

Trinity River section 52 

Cherokee County section 53 

Harrison County section 54 

Sabine River section 55 

Cook Mountain formation 56 

Name and correlation 56 

Occurrence and character 56 

Paleontology 56 

Detailed sections 56 

Brazos River section 56 

Trinity River section 60 

Cherokee County section 62 

Sabine River section 64 

Yegua formation 65 

Name and correlation 65 

Occurrence and character 66 

Detailed sections 66 

Brazos River section 66 

Sabine River section 67 

Jackson formation 67 

Name and correlation .• 67 

Occurrence and character 67 

Paleontology 67 

Detailed sections 68 

Sabine River section _ 06 

Oligocene series 68 

Catahoula sandstone (including some Eocene) 68 

Name and correlation 68 

Occurrence and character 70 

Detailed sections 70 

Sabine River section 70 

San Augustine County- 70 

Tyler County 70 

Polk County 71 

Brazos County 71 



CONTENTS. 5 

Geology of the Coastal Plain — Continued. 

Stratigraphy of the Coastal Plain in Eastern Texas — Continued. 

Tertiary system — Continued. Page. 

Miocene series 72 

Fleming clay 72 

Name and correlation : 72 

Occurrence and character 74 

Detailed sections 74 

Sabine River section 74 

Neches River section 74 

Grimes and Brazos counties 74 

Dewitt formation (including some Pliocene) 74 

Name and correlation 74 

Occurrence and character 75 

Paleontology 75 

Detailed sections 75 

East of Brazos River 75 

West of Brazos River 75 

Marine Miocene (probably including some early Pliocene) ... 76 

General character 76 

Details of occurrence 76 

Pliocene series 77 

Uvalde formation '. 77 

Name and correlation 77 

Occurrence and character 77 

Quaternary system 78 

Pleistocene series , 78 

Lissie gravel 78 

Name and correlation 78 

Occurrence and character 78 

Paleontology 80 

Details of occurrence 80 

Beaumont clay 80 

Name 80 

Occurrence and character 81 

Paleontology 81 

Pleistocene terrace deposits 81 

Highest Pleistocene terrace 81 

Middle Pleistocene terrace 82 

Lowest Pleistocene terrace 83 

Recent series 83 

Structure 84 

General features 84 

Domes 84 

Angelina-Caldwell flexure 85 

Cooks Springs-Caddo fault and flexure 86 

Minor flexures 86 

Sabine uplift 86 

Hydrology 87 

Definitions 87 

Occurrence of ground water 87 

Source of ground water 87 

Zone of saturation : 87 

Movement of ground water 89 

Perched ground-water tables 90 



6 CONTENTS. 

Hydrology — Continued. Page. 

Artesian systems of the Texas Coastal Plain 90 

General features 90 

Nacatoch artesian system 90 

Lower Eocene artesian system 91 

General character 91 

Quality of water 92 

Yegua artesian system 92 

General character 92 

Quality of water 93 

Catahoula artesian system 94 

Dewitt artesian system 94 

Coast Prairie artesian system 94 

Minor sources of underground water 95 

Marine Miocene beds 95 

Beaumont clay 95 

Salt water 95 

Depth to reservoirs 96 

Uses of ground water 96 

Springs 97 

Quality of water 97 

Impurities in water 97 

Living matter in water 98 

Nonliving matter in water ; 98 

Suspended matter 98 

Dissolved matter 99 

Concentration of dissolved matter 100 

Water for domestic use 100 

Water for drinking 100 

Water for cooking 101 

Water for washing 101 

Classification of domestic waters 102 

Water for stock 102 

Water for boilers 102 

Foaming 102 

Corrosion 103 

Scale forming 103 

Classification of boiler waters 104 

Water for irrigation 105 

Alkali coefficients 105 

Classification of irrigation waters 106 

Therapeutic use of water 106 

Chemical character in relation to geologic formations 107 

General quality 107 

Waters from the Lissie gravel 107 

Waters from the Dewitt formation 108 

Waters from the Catahoula sandstone 108 

Waters from the Yegua formation 109 

Waters from the Mount Selman formation 109 

Waters from the Wilcox formation 109 

Analyses 110 



CONTENTS. 7 

Page. 

County descriptions 110 

Anderson County 110 

Geology and hydrology 110 

Nacatoch sand 110 

Lower Eocene 110 

Well data Ill 

Angelina County 114 

Geology and hydrology 114 

Lower Eocene 114 

Yegua formation 114 

Catahoula sandstone 115 

Well data 115 

Brazoria County 120 

Geology and hydrology 120 

Lissie gravel 120 

Well data .. 121 

Brazos County 132 

Geology and hydrology 132 

Lower Eocene 132 

Yegua formation 132 

Catahoula sandstone 133 

Well data 133 

Burleson County 136 

Chambers County 138 

Geology and hydrology 138 

Well data '. 139 

Cherokee County 146 

Geology and hydrology 146 

Well data 147 

Falls County 148 

Fort Bend County 149 

Geology and hydrology 149 

Well data 150 

Freestone County 153 

Geology and hydrology 153 

Well data 153 

Galveston County 154 

Geology and hydrology 154 

Well data 157 

Gregg County 176 

Geology and hydrology 176 

Well data 177 

Grimes County 180 

Geology and hydrology 180 

Lower Eocene 180 

Yegua formation 180 

Catahoula sandstone 180 

Dewitt formation 181 

Well data 181 

Hardin County 186 

Geology and hydrology 186 

Miocene beds 186 

Lissie gravel 187 

WeU data 187 



8 CONTENTS. 

County descriptions — Continued. p age . 

Harris County 220 

Geology and hydrology 220 

Dewitt formation 220 

Lissie gravel , 220 

Well data 221 

Harrison County 240 

Geology and hydrology 240 

Well data 241 

Henderson County 244 

Geology and hydrology 244 

Cretaceous rocks 245 

Wilcox formation 245 

Well data 245 

Houston County 246 

Geology and hydrology 246 

Lower Eocene 246 

Yegua formation 246 

Well data 247 

Jasper County 249 

Geology and hydrology 249 

Yegua formation 249 

Catahoula sandstone 249 

Marine Miocene 250 

Lissie gravel 250 

Well data 250 

Jefferson County 259 

Geology and hydrology : 259 

Marine Miocene 259 

Lissie gravel 259 

Well data 261 

Kaufman County 289 

Geology and hydrology 289 

Well data 289 

Leon County 289 

Geology and hydrology 289 

Well data 290 

Liberty County 290 

Geology and hydrology 290 

Marine Miocene 290 

Lissie gravel 290 

Well data 291 

Limestone County 300 

Geology and hydrology 300 

Cretaceous rocks 300 

Wilcox formation 301 

Well data 301 

Madison County 302 

Geology and hydrology 302 

Lower Eocene 302 

Yegua formation 302 

Well data 303 



CONTENTS. 9 

County descriptions — Continued. Page. 

Marion County 303 

Geology and hydrology 303 

Cretaceous rocks 303 

Lower Eocene 303 

Well data 304 

Montgomery County 304 

Geology and hydrology 304 

Catahoula sandstone 304 

Dewitt formation 305 

Lissie gravel 305 

Well data 305 

Milam County , 308 

Nacogdoches County 309 

Geology and hydrology 309 

Lower Eocene 309 

Yegua formation 309 

Well data ....' 309 

Navarro County 318 

Geology and hydrology 318 

Well data 318 

Newton County 318 

Geology and hydrology 318 

Yegua formation 319 

Catahoula sandstone 319 

Marine Miocene 319 

Lissie gravel 319 

Well data 319 

Orange County 320 

Geology and hydrology 320 

Well data 320 

Panola County 322 

Geology and hydrology 322 

Well data 322 

Polk County 323 

Geology and hydrology 323 

Yegua formation 323 

Catahoula sandstone 323 

Dewitt formation 323 

Lissie gravel 323 

Well data 324 

Robertson County 325 

Geology and hydrology 325 

Cretaceous rocks 325 

Lower Eocene 325 

Well data 326 

Rusk County 331 

Geology and hydrology 331 

Well data 331 

Sabine County 332 

Geology and hydrology 332 

Lower Eocene 332 

Yegua formation 332 

Catahoula sandstone 332 

Well data 332 



10 CONTENTS. 

County descriptions — Continued. Page. 

San Augustine County 336 

Geology and hydrology 336 

Wilcox formation 336 

Yegua formation 336 

Catahoula sandstone 337 

Well data 337 

San Jacinto County 339 

Geology and hydrology 339 

Catahoula sandstone 339 

Dewitt formation 339 

Lissie gravel 339 

Well data 340 

Shelby County 340 

Geology and hydrology 340 

Well data 341 

Smith County 342 

Geology and hydrology 342 

Well data 342 

Trinity County 343 

Geology and hydrology 343 

Yegua formation 343 

Catahoula sandstone 343 

Well data 344 

Tyler County 347 

Geology and hydrology 347 

Yegua formation 347 

Catahoula sandstone 348 

Dewitt formation 348 

Lissie gravel 348 

Well data 348 

Upshur County 350 

Van Zandt County 351 

Geology and hydrology 351 

Well data 351 

W T aller County 353 

Geology and hydrology 353 

Catahoula sandstone 353 

Dewitt formation 354 

Lissie gravel 354 

Well data 354 

Walker County 355 

Geology and hydrology 355 

Yegua formation 356 

Catahoula sandstone 356 

Dewitt formation 356 

Lissie gravel 356 

Well data 356 

Wood County 357 

Geology and hydrology 357 

Well data 358 

Index 361 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Page. 
Plate I. A preliminary geological map and section of Texas east of the ninety- 
seventh meridian In pocket. 

II. Natural mounds 18 

III. Characteristic fossils of the Midway formation 32 

IV. Columnar sections of the Tertiary In pocket. 

V. Characteristic fossils of Claiborne age 56 

VI. Characteristic fossils of the Jackson formation 66 

VII. Preliminary map of the Nacatoch, Yegua, and Lissie artesian reser- 
voirs (Coast Prairie system) in southeast Texas In pocket. 

VIII. Preliminary map of the lower Eocene and the Catahoula artesian res- 
ervoirs in southeast Texas In pocket. 

IX. Preliminary map of the Dewitt and the marine Miocene artesian reser- 
voirs in east Texas In pocket. 

Figure 1. Map of eastern United States, showing area treated in this report 
and its relations to the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain of the 
United States 14 

2. Physiographic regions of Texas 15 

3. Map showing the influence of the Kisatchie Bajada on the courses 

of the streams of Texas 17 

4. Chronology of the development of drainage in east Texas 20 

5. Map showing the distribution of timber on the eastern third of the 

Texas Coastal Plain 21 

6. Principal structural features of the Texas Coastal Plain 85 

7. Map showing mean annual rainfall and run-off in the State of 

Texas 88 

8. Diagram illustrating the position of the main ground-water table 

in a region of undulating topography 89 

9. Diagram showing common arrangement of factors producing flow- 

ing wells 89 

10. An artesian basin 90 

11. Diagram showing water conditions in the outcrop of the "Wilcox 

formation in Texas 91 

12. Diagram showing the relation of a perched water table to the 

main water table 92 

13. Diagram showing the artesian systems of the Texas Coastal Plain. 93 

14. Section between Galveston and Houston, showing the water- 

bearing beds of the several flowing wells and the relations of 

salt and fresh water 155 

15. Diagram showing effect of scattered lenticular clay masses in 

producing apparent water horizons with dips opposite to the true 

dip of the beds 156 

16. Section showing the water-bearing sands in the Spindletop wells. 260 

17. Wells in the vicinity of Rockland 347 

11 



INSERT. 

Page. 
Analyses of underground waters from eastern Texas ' 110 

12 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF THE 
SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE TEXAS COASTAL 
PLAIN. 

By Alexander Deussen. 



INTRODUCTION. 

This contribution to the geology of the ground waters of east and 
northeast Texas is based on field work done by the writer during the 
summers of 1907 and 1908. The area described includes the part of 
the Coastal Plain of Texas occupied by the outcrop of Cenozoic rocks 
lying east of Brazos River and south of a line extending east and west 
through Jefferson, in Marion County. (See Hg. 1, p. 14, and geologic 
map, PL I, in pocket.) It embraces 36,317 square miles, an area as 
great as that of the State of Indiana. The report describes the under- 
ground water horizons of the region and discusses the artesian condi- 
tions and prospects in the several counties. 

Acknowledgments for valuable assistance rendered and for infor- 
mation furnished are due to Joe Lake, of Marshall; June Harris, of 
Nacogdoches; J. P. Mettauer, of Rockland; A. P. Kimmey, of Lufkin; 
E. T. Dumble, William Kennedy, and L. Garrett, of the Southern 
Pacific geologic corps; T. U. Taylor, dean of the engineering depart- 
ment, University of Texas; F. W. Simonds, professor of geology, Uni- 
versity of Texas; A. T. Dickey, city engineer of Galveston; F. B. 
Brown, of Longview; C. F. W. Felt, chief engineer of the Gulf, Col- 
orado & Santa Fe Railway; Patillo Higgins, of the Higgins Oil & 
Fuel Co.; F. W. Michaux, of Beaumont; Capt. F. I. Kellie, secretary 
of the Commercial Club of Beaumont; P. A. McCarthy, city engineer 
of Lufkin; and many others. Information has likewise been freely 
drawn from the following publications : Professional Paper 46, United 
States Geological Survey, Geology and underground water resources 
of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas, by A. C. Veatch; An- 
nual reports of the Geological Survey of Texas, 1889-1892; Water- 
Supply Paper 190, United States Geological Survey, Underground 
waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas, by T. U. Taylor; Bulletin 212, 
United States Geological Survey, Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana 
Gulf Coastal Plain, by C. W. Hayes and William Kennedy; Bulletin 
282, United States Geological Survey, Oil fields of the Texas-Louisi- 
ana Gulf Coastal Plain, by N. M. Fenneman; and others. Detailed 

13 



14 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



references are given in footnotes. The information relating to quality 
of water has been reviewed by R. B. Dole, who also recomputed the 
analyses of water into ionic form in parts per million. This report 
was prepared under the direction of T. Wayland Vaughan, to whom 
thanks are due for many suggestions. 




■400 500 Miles 



Atlantic and Gulf 
coastal plains 



Area covered by report 



Fioube 1.— Map of eastern United States, showing area treated in this report (indicated by horizontal 
lines), and its relations to the Atlantic and Gulf Coas"tal Plain (indicated by stippling). 

PHYSIOGRAPHY. 

GENERAL CHARACTER. 

The Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Yucatan is fringed by a broad 
sublevel region that slopes gently toward the Gulf from an interior 
highland region. This natural physiographic province of North 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



15 



America, which is known as the Gulf Coastal Plain and is the western 
continuation of a similar plain bordering the Atlantic, comprises all 
of Florida and Louisiana and portions of Georgia, Alabama, Missis- 
sippi, Kentucky, Arkansas, Texas, and Mexico, and a long reentrant 
from it extends northward up Mississippi River as far as southern 
Illinois. In the United States it is very broad, extending in places 
500 miles back from the Gulf, but in Mexico it reaches mountains 
at a much shorter distance. Everywhere it is characterized by low 
relief and broad river valleys. Near the coast it is generally level, 
but in the interior it has been broadly but gently dissected and pre- 
sents a hilly, undulating aspect. In Texas it comprises the fol- 
lowing features, named from the coast inland: (1) The coast prairie; 




Figure 2. — Physiographic regions of Texas. 

(2) the Kisatchie Wold; 1 (3) the red lands, and (4) the Yegua 
timber belt, the two constituting the Nacogdoches Wold; (5) the 
Corsicana Cuesta (including the Wilcox plain and the eastern marginal 
prairies) ; (6) the Black Prairie; (7) the Grand Prairie; (8) the central 
basin region; (9) the high plains and plateaus; and (10) the Cor- 
dilleran region. (See fig. 2.) 

The area considered in this report comprises a small part of the 
Gulf Coastal Plain, stretching from the coast inland to and including 
the Wilcox plain and a part of the eastern marginal prairies. 

1 In this paper the term "wold" is used to designate a range of hills produced by differential erosion 
from inclined sedimentary rocks. A wold is made up of a cuesta or gently sloping dip plain on one side 
and a bajada or abruptly sloping face on the other. These terms were first so used by Veatch, A. C, Prof. 
Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 44, 1906, p. 29. 



16 GEOLOGY .L\D UNDEBGBOUND WATERS OF 

TOPOGRAPHIC FEATTJPvES. 
KELIEF. 

Coast prairie. — Immediately fringing the Gulf is a narrow strip of 
level plain (see fig. 2), called the coast prairie, winch has been slightly 
elevated above the sea in comparatively recent geologic time. It 
reaches inland about 50 miles. Near the Gulf its surface is flat and 
low, having an altitude of 20 to 30 feet above tide. Numerous rivers 
and creeks have excavated steep-sided channels across it. The di- 
vides between the drainways are grass covered, but the stream courses 
are bordered by narrow strips of timber. On its western margin this 
prairie merges into a rolling timber area. 

KisatcMe Wold. — The coast prairies are succeeded on the interior 
by the Kisatchie Wold, comprising a gentle dip plain ( the Kisatchie 
Cuesta) to the south, and a range of low hills (the Kisatchie Bajada) 
to the north. 

The Kisatchie Cuesta occupies the counties of Newton, Jasper, 
Tyler, Hardin, Polk, Liberty, San Jacinto, Walker, Montgomery, and 
Waller, and parts of Grimes, Fort Bend, Harris, Jefferson, and Orange. 
The topography is generally undulating, the soils are for the most part 
sandy, and the uplands are forested in contrast to the prairie areas 
on the coast. (See fig. 2.) 

The Kisatchie Cuesta terminates in the interior in the low hills 
of the Kisatchie Bajada. These hills, which represent the dis- 
sected portion of an interior-facing escarpment, which resulted 
from the greater hardness of the cap rock as compared with the 
underlying strata (figs. 2 and 3) are traceable across the entire 
extent of Texas from Sabine River to the Rio Grande. In places they 
attain a height of 150 feet above sea level. They are typically 
developed at Rockland in Tyler County, at Trinity in Trinity County, 
and near Fairmount in Sabine County. 

This range of hills exerts an important influence on the streams 
of the Coastal Plain, all the rivers that cross it being noticeably 
deflected and caused to flow along its foot for greater or less dis- 
tances. (See fig. 3.) 

Nacogdoches Wold. — A second well-defined wold succeeds the 
Kisatchie Wold on the north and west. (See fig. 2.) On the divides 
and in areas near the Kisatchie Wold the country is for the most 
part rolling, but toward the interior margin it becomes hilly. This 
wold owes its existence to the superior hardness of the cap rock, 
which here consists of iron ore. On the interior margin the plain 
has been very much eroded and is now preserved only in a great 
number of iron-ore capped hills which rise to considerable altitudes 
above the surrounding lowlands. These hills constitute by far the 
greatest elevations in the region, the highest, such as those in Cherokee 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



17 




c3 
.22 

M 



3 

a 

9 
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5sfi 

o 

M 

ft 

C3 

8 



14926°— wsp 335—14- 



18 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

County, attaining an altitude of 666 feet above sea level. 1 As a type 
of these hills (locally called mountains) may be mentioned Gent 
Mountain in western Cherokee County, Grays Mountain, Grimes 
Mountain, Ragsdale Mountain, and many others. 

The fringed and greatly dissected margin of the Nacogdoches 
Wold, represented by these iron-ore capped hills, which overlook 
the lowlands to the north and west, constitutes the Nacogdoches 
Bajada, whose approximate direction is indicated on the map 
(fig. 2). 

Corsicana Cuesta and White Bock Escarpment. — The Nacogdoches 
Wold is succeeded in the interior by the Corsicana Cuesta. It 
includes the Black Prairie of Hill 2 and terminates in an inward- 
facing escarpment known as the White Rock Escarpment. 3 The 
cuesta is subdivisible into a number of geographic units, including 
the Wilcox timber belt (called by Dumble 4 the lignitic plain), the 
eastern marginal prairies, the Taylor prairies, and the White Rock 
Prairie. 5 

The Wilcox timber belt, which immediately borders the Nacog- 
doches Wold, is underlain by the Wilcox formation (p. 37). Its 
soils are predominatingly sandy, and it is entirely forested, in decided 
contrast to the subdivisions of the cuesta that lie farther west. 

The eastern marginal prairies succeed the Wilcox timber belt on 
the west. Their soil is clayey and approaches the " black waxy" 
type. The area is grass covered, in contrast to the timbered country 
on the east. 

The Wilcox timber belt and a portion of the eastern marginal 
prairies are the only parts of the Corsicana Cuesta that lie within the 
area described in this report. 

Bottom lands. — The large through-flowing streams, such as the 
Brazos and the Trinity, and many of the smaller streams, such as the 
Sabine, Neches, Attoyac, and Cypress, have carved out wide valleys, 
and in these valleys have built up extensive alluvial plains 1 to 10 
miles in width, which occupy in the aggregate a much larger area than 
the remnants of the ancient plains from which they were carved. 

These alluvial or constructional 6 plains, through which the streams 
meander in irregular courses, are locally called bottom lands. For 
the most part they are sublevel and lie 100 to 200 feet beneath the 

i Hill, R. T. Second Ann. Rept. Gcol. Survey Texas, 1890, p. 19. 

2 Hill, R. T., Geography and geology of the Black and Grand prairies, Texas, etc.: Twenty-first Ann. 
Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 7, 1901, p. 65. 
a Idem, p. G8. 

* Dumble, E. T., A comprehensive history of Texas, Dallas, 1898, vol. 2, p. 477. 
& Hill, R. T., op. cit., pp. 67-G8. 

• Constructional plains are plains formed by the deposition of sediment in sublevel sheets along the stream 
ways or at the margin of the ocean. They may therefore be of fluviatile or marine origin. Destructional 
plains are sublevel areas formed as a result not of deposition but of erosion or degradation of older and 
higher surfaces. 



. r :e:_: j :-_ ;. : . = ■ 



WATER-SU==LY PAPER 335 PLATE II 




A. ON FLAT FORK CREEK : 3 MILES FROM TENEHA, TEX. 

Showing tree-covered top of rround and barren surrounding country. Substructure: Wilcox (Eocene). (After 

Veatch ) 




B. ON FLAT FORK CREEK, 3 MILES FROM TENEHA, TEX. 
Symmetrical form partly destroyed by stream erosion. Substructure: Wilcox (Eocene). (After Veatch.) 




C. ON PINE FLATS, NEAR TARBINGTON, TEX. 
Substructure: Quaternary. Photograph by Vernon Bailey. (After Veatch.) 

NATURAL MOUNDS. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 19 

general level of the rolling and hilly areas of the adjacent rem- 
nantal plains. They are covered with hardwood timber instead of 
with the pine of the upland plains. These bottom lands are exceed- 
ingly fertile and are justly prized for farming purposes. Their chief 
drawback is their liability to overflow where unprotected by levees. 
The Brazos bottom, for instance, is one of the most fertile farming 
regions in the world. 

Owing to the lowness of their altitudes as compared with the sur- 
rounding country, many of these bottoms present ideal conditions 
for artesian wells (see pp. 87-90), and the artesian reservoirs which lie 
beneath them have been of inestimable economic importance in their 
industrial and agricultural development. 

Mounds and pimple plains. — Besides the physiographic and topo- 
graphic features previously enumerated, all of which were produced 
by water, the region contains certain elevations or physiographic 
features, the so-called mounds and pimple plains, which are of differ- 
ent origin. 

The mounds are pronounced elevations, a few hundred acres in 
extent. Some of them rise 40 to 50 feet above the general level of the 
adjacent plains. They are -irregularly distributed but are more con- 
spicuous on the coast prairies. Big Hill and Spindle top hi Jefferson 
County, High Island in Galveston County, Barbers Hill and Kiser 
Mound in Fort Bend County are typical. 

The pimple plains, which are irregularly but widely distributed 
over both the remnantal and the constructional plains, are charac- 
terized by numerous conspicuous small rounded circular elevations 
15 to 30 feet in diameter and 2 to 6 feet in height. They are typi- 
cally developed in the Flat Fork Bottom south of Tenaha in Shelby 
County. (See PI. II.) 

DRAINAGE. 

Two major types of streams prevail in the area — the antecedent 
and the consequent. 

The antecedent streams antedate the formation of the Tertiary 
plain, having been in existence on the Cretaceous plain when the 
shore line of the gulf was far north of its present position. When 
the Tertiary area was added to the existing land, these streams 
extended their courses across the newer plain, growing at their 
mouths. The Brazos and the Trinity are of this type and constitute 
the largest and most important streams in the region. 

The consequent streams developed after the formation of the Ter- 
tiary plain and occupied the territory between the extended or ante- 
cedent drainage. These have grown at their heads, having gradu- 
ally worked their way backward. The Sabine, Angelina, Neches, 
and San Jacinto rivers are of this type. 



20 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Of these consequent streams, four distinct systems of drainage are 
recognizable: (1) System developed on Eocene and Oligocene areas 
during Miocene time; (2) system developed during the earlier Pleisto- 
cene time; (3) systems developed during later Pleistocene time; 
(4) system developed during recent time. (See fig. 4.) 




LEGEND 



Drainage system developed 
during Recent time 



Drainage system developed 
during late Quaternary time 
and its subsequent extension 
across the coast prairies 
during Recent time 



Drainage system developed 
during early Quaternary time 
and its subsequent extension 
during late Quaternary time 






Drainage system developed 
during Miocene time and its 
subsequent extension across 
early Quaternary areas 
during later Quaternary time 



Drainage system developed 
on Eocene areas during 
Oligocene time and its 
subsequent extension across 
post-Eocene areas after 
their elevation 



Drainage system developed 
on the Cretaceous prairies 
during post-Cretaceous time 
and its subsequent extension 
across the Tertiary plain after 
elevation 



Figube 4.— Chronology of the development of drainage in east Texas. 

The older consequent systems occupy the relatively higher surfaces 
between the extended streams. The longest and oldest rise along the 
interior margin of the Wilcox timber belt and are antecedent relative 
to the coast prairie, antedating its formation. This system includes 
Sabine River. The youngest system begins at the interior margin of 



SOUTHEASTEKN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



21 



L/S^l A-£ .-Ar'' 



the coast prairie, upon which it is established, and is consequent to it. 
It includes a number of creeks and bayous which head close to the 
coast and are sluggish and brackish. 

TIMBER. 

The region comprises both prairie and forest areas. The Kisatchie 
Wold, Nacogdoches Wold, and Wilcox timber belt constitute a 
timbered region wedged between the coast prairie on the south and 
the eastern marginal prairie on 
the west. This portion of Texas, 
which is very often spoken of as 
the east Texas timber belt, repre- 
sents the western extension of the 
Atlantic timber belt. Its soils 
are predominatingly sandy com- 
pared with those of the prairies 
on the south and west. 

The general character of the 
timber is indicated on the map 
(fig. 5). On the bottoms or 
alluvial plains hardwood for- 
ests flourish, made up of cow 
oak, bur oak, overcup oak, com- 
mon white oak, red oak, Texas 
oak, willow oak, water oak, 
white ash, green ash, sweet 
pecan, bitter pecan, shagbark, 
white hickory, sweet gum, black 
gum, tupelo, cottonwood, syc- 
amore, elm, and other trees. 
On the uplands and divides 
pine forests predominate, con- 
sisting of short leaf, loblolly, 
and long leaf (fig. 5), inter- 
spersed toward the interior with 
upland oaks, black jack, blue 
jack, and other trees. 




LEGEND 






Alluvial bottom. Hardwoods 
V? 



Long-leaf pine 

m 



Loblolly pine 



Short-leaf pine 



Post oak 



Live oak 



Figure 5.— Map showing the distribution of tim- 
ber on the eastern third of the Texas Coastal 
Plain. After Bray. Note the close relation of 
the timber to the outcrops of the different geo- 
logic divisions. 



GENERAL GEOLOGIC FEATURES. 

RELATION OF GEOLOGY TO THE OCCURRENCE OF UNDERGROUND 

WATER. 

The problems of underground and artesian water are problems in 
stratigraphy, the occurrence of such water being determined by 
the arrangement and relative positions of porous and nonporous 
(or impervious) beds. To ascertain whether flowing wells can be had 



22 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

at a given place before a hole is actually drilled, it is necessary to know 
what the arrangement, nature, and distribution of the rock sheets is 
in that region. To know whether a sufficient quantity of water can 
be economically secured from a well at a given place for a particular 
purpose, the same information is necessary. To know whether the 
water that may be obtained is of a quality suitable for the desired 
purpose, it is again necessary to know the same facts. These facts 
are the concern of the branch of geology known as stratigraphic and 
structural geology, and to ascertain them for any particular area it 
is necessary to know something concerning the stratigraphic and 
structural geology of the area. 

PRINCIPLES OF STRATIGRAPHY. 
EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION. 

The most obvious natural processes now in operation on the earth 
are those of erosion and sedimentation. The exposed rocks disinte- 
grate and decay into soils and rock detritus. Rains wash the soils 
and rock detritus into the streams, and the streams eventually carry 
the materials to the sea and deposit them on the sea floor. The 
removal of the soil and detritus by rain and wind constitutes erosion. 
The deposition of material on the sea floor constitutes sedimentation. 

If these processes continued indefinitely, and no new land appeared, 
the land would in time be obliterated, the ocean would become 
universal, and subaerial erosion would cease. But so long as the 
present forces remain in operation this result can never be obtained. 
As the continents are worn down in one place, they are elevated in 
another, and new land is constantly being formed. Some continents 
are rising; others are sinking. Evidence shows that some seashores 
are rising while others are subsiding, some slowly (2 or 3 inches in a 
century), and others rapidly. 

THE GEOLOGIC COLUMN. 

Throughout the earth's history vast quantities of the products of 
rock decay and material taken from the sea water by organisms 
have accumulated on the sea floor, in some localities to a thickness 
of more than 20,000 feet. From time to time one area or another 
has been elevated into land, causing sedimentation to cease and ero- 
sion to begin. Fresh submergence may have again followed and 
sedimentation been resumed. In any given region periods of erosion 
may have alternated with periods of sedimentation. 

The products of sedimentation are the sedimentary rocks, also 
called stratified, because arranged in layers or strata. They vary in 
character with the conditions of their deposition, gravels and sands 
usually being deposited close to shore, muds and clays in deeper water, 
and calcareous oozes, which ultimately form limestone, are deposited 
in areas to which earthy detritus derived from the land is not carried. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 23 

If the sea floor sinks, the place where sand was formerly deposited 
may be covered by clay, and if further depressed, by lime deposits. 
In time the sand, clay, and limy ooze will become indurated or 
lithified into sandstone, shale, and limestone through the action of 
pressure and cementing substances deposited by circulating water. 
Then, if the region is subsequently elevated into land and the materials 
are exposed (in a canyon, for instance) they will present, in columnar 
form, a typical stratified or sedimentary series, consisting of a bed of 
sandstone at the base, shale in the middle, and limestone at the top. 
It is obvious that in any such stratified series the beds of greatest 
age are lowermost and those of least age uppermost. If a place could 
be observed where sedimentation had been continuous since the begin- 
ning of the process each period of the earth's history would be seen to 
be represented by certain divisions of the rocks. No such complete 
sedimentary series has ever been found in any one place, but portions 
of it are found at different localities, and by visiting a sufficient number 
of places the geologist may inspect the whole. 

SUBDIVISIONS OF THE GEOLOGIC COLUMN. 

Systems. — Certain names have been given to the different portions 
of this sedimentary series, and these different portions (called systems), 
taken in order, represent the accumulations during corresponding 
periods of the earth's history. The names of these systems in order 
from top to bottom, or from the youngest to the oldest, are: Quater- 
nary, Tertiary, Cretaceous, Jurassic, Triassic, Carboniferous, Devo- 
nian, Silurian, Ordovician, Cambrian, Algonkian, and Archean. 

The major units (systems) of the sedimentary series may be called 
time units, because the basis of their classification is time. The 
materials composing a given unit are not necessarily the same in 
different places, because the conditions of deposition (including 
depth of water) may have varied greatly; during a given period 
sands may have been deposited in one place and clays in another. 

Formations. — The major units are divisible into smaller units 
according to the character of their materials. The lower part of a 
particular system may consist of sandstone, the middle part of clay, 
and the upper part of limestone. Such smaller units are known as 
lithologic units (or formations), because the classification may be based 
on the lithology or character of the constituent materials. They 
are named after places where they are well exposed. 

Formations are essentially local. A given sandstone, for instance, 
may extend laterally for a considerable distance, but will eventually 
be succeeded or replaced by another kind of material, because sand is 
deposited only in shallow water. A sandstone formed from deposits 
along the stretches of a long coast on a sea floor of very steep slope 
will extend a long distance in one direction and a short distance in 



24 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

another, being cut off seaward by deep water in which clay was 
deposited in place of sand. 

As long as the sea floor is neither elevated nor depressed, a sand- 
stone formation deposited on it is of the same age throughout. 
With a sinking sea floor, however, the zone of deposition is con- 
stantly advancing with the advance of the shore line, and the forma- 
tion may attain a wide distribution. The depression may continue 
for a long time, and the sand deposited along the shore may retain 
its character and may be laterally continuous throughout and there- 
fore constitute one and the same formation; and yet one extremity 
of the formation represents deposition when the depression began 
and the other represents deposition when the depression ceased. A 
formation is, therefore, not necessarily of precisely the same age in 
different places of its occurrence. 

Geologic maps and geologic sections are designed to show the dis- 
tribution of geologic formations both at the surface and underground. 

FOSSILS. 

Nature and geologic distribution. — Along with the products of land 
decay and material chemically precipitated from oceanic water, the 
shells and skeletons of animals are deposited on the sea floor, where 
they are soon buried beneath sediment either as a whole or in broken 
pieces. Very many of the shells are subsequently removed, but 
perfect casts of the forms may remain. Such evidences of formerly 
existing life, now a part of the rock masses, are known as fossils. 
Wherever sedimentary rocks occur fossils may be found in greater 
or less abundance. 

Study shows that fossil forms are unlike those of species now 
living, the greatest deviation being found in fossils deposited during 
the earliest periods of the earth's history. The simpler animals 
(animals not highly organized) characterize the lower divisions of the 
series and the higher types the upper divisions. Between the two 
there is a progressive increase in complexity. Each division is 
characterized by a certain set of fossils, which in the aggregate is 
distinctive of that division and is different from that of any other 
division. 

These facts are of universal application. Fossils, for instance ; 
that characterize the Cambrian system in one region of the globe 
characterize it in all other regions. Subdivision of the larger systems, 
however, may show local and specific variation. For example, a 
middle formation of the Cretaceous system in England and a middle 
formation of the same system in Texas may be characterized by 
slightly different sets of fossils. 

Importance of fossils. — The fact that each division of the stratified 
series is characterized by a certain group of fossils is of the greatest 
importance to the practical working geologist, enabling him to 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 25 

recognize the division in widely separated places. If he finds certain 
fossils in a limestone exposed at a given place at the surface and 
finds them also in a similar-appearing limestone at a depth of 2,000 
feet in a well 20 miles away, he may be confident that the same 
rock sheet is present in both places, and that it has a decided slope 
(dip) which in the course of the 20 miles has carried it 2,000 feet 
beneath the surface. If coal underlies the limestone where the latter 
is exposed at the surface it is probable that it also underlies it in 
the well and can be found by boring a little deeper. 

Fossils are thus the earmarks of geologic formations and distinguish 
them as much as does the character of their rocks. In this paper, 
however, no attempt is made to describe the fossils of the re- 
spective formations, such matter being unessential in the present 
connection. Their occurrence, however, is noted and some charac- 
teristic forms are figured. 

Paleontologic units. — In a sedimentary series given kinds of rock 
may be repeated many times. A limestone of a certain lithologic 
character may appear at the base, another in the center, and still 
another at the top. If it were not for the fossils it might be difficult 
to tell whether any particular limestone is the one in the middle or at 
the top or the bottom. If, however, a given fossil is known to char- 
acterize one of the beds and not the others, identification by its aid 
is easy. A sedimentary series may thus be divided not only into 
time units and into lithologic units or formations, but also into pale- 
ontologic units or biologic zones, each characterized by the presence 
of a given fossil or a set of fossils. 

A paleontologic unit, like a time unit, is not characterized by any 
particular kind of rock. The shells of the same kind of animals may 
be accumulated in clay as well as in limestone. The clay and the lime- 
stone are parts of the same time unit and the same biologic zone but 
they belong to different lithologic units or formations. Again, certain 
animals may be living at a given time and may be accumulated in 
connection with a deposit of sand. If the sea floor is sinking, the 
same kind of sand may continue to be deposited (the zone of depo- 
sition constantly shifting), long after the race of animals has died out 
and has given place to other races. The sand is all a part of the same 
formation, but it is not a part of the same biologic zone nor of the 
same time unit. 

GEOLOGY OF THE COASTAL PLAIN. 

GENERAL FEATURES. 

The materials exposed on the Coastal Plain of Texas and encountered 
in the wells drilled in the region are members of a sedimentary series, 
the deposition of which was at times interrupted by land epochs and 
periods of erosion, during which sedimentation ceased. Such times 



26 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

of erosion are indicated by gaps in the series, spoken of as uncon- 
formities. 

Originally the beds composing this series were nearly horizon- 
tal. Since their formation, however, the region has been gradually 
elevated and the entire series slightly tilted toward the Gulf. Since 
their elevation, these beds have been subjected to erosion, those 
having the highest altitude and the longest period of exposure having 
suffered the most. The result is that the surface of the Coastal Plain 
no longer coincides with the surface of the uppermost rock layer, but 
bevels across the gently inclined layers at a small angle. Conse- 
quently, in passing from place to place different rock sheets or forma- 
tions are exposed to view, the lowermost formation being exposed 
at the greatest distance from the coast, and the uppermost forma- 
tion at the coast. Traveling from the coast toward the interior, the 
geologist may inspect the entire series just as he could by descending 
a shaft sunk to the bottom of the series at the coast. By determining 
the sequence in his cross-country travels, he can predict very accu- 
rately the sequence and the character of the materials that would 
be encountered in sinking such a shaft or well. 

STRATIGRAPHY OF THE COASTAL PLAIN IN EASTERN TEXAS. 

ROCK SYSTEMS REPRESENTED. 

In the stratigraphy of the Coastal Plain in eastern Texas the Car- 
boniferous, Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quaternary systems are 
represented. These different systems comprise two structural divi- 
sions. The Carboniferous rocks, which make up one structural unit, 
constitute the basement upon which the Cretaceous and younger 
rocks have been deposited. The Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quater- 
nary rocks, which make up the other structural unit, and which 
constitute the outcropping formations of the Coastal Plain, lie 
unconformably upon the Carboniferous rocks and have a general 
southeast dip of 1 to 200 feet to the mile. 

CARBONIEEROUS ROCKS. 

The Carboniferous rocks are not exposed and have been reached 
by no drill holes within the limits of the region described in this 
paper. Their presence beneath it is inferred from their exposure 
farther west where they have a dip to the northwest, and from their 
occurrence in drill holes in the nearer Cretaceous area. 

CRETACEOUS ROCKS. 

The Cretaceous rocks, consisting for the most part of chalk, lime- 
stone, and marls, underlie the entire Coastal Plain. Their water- 
bearing beds, however, are too deeply embedded beneath nearly all 
the counties with which this report deals to make them available as 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



27 



sources of artesian supplies, and therefore they have little economic 
interest in the present connection. 

That these beds occur beneath the later rocks is proved by drill 
holes that have reached them and by the existence of certain inliers 
(isolated bodies of rock lying at a distance from the main body and 
surrounded on all sides by rocks of later age) within the area of the 
post-Cretaceous sediments. At least three Cretaceous inliers are 
known to occur in the area — the Steen Dome and Brooks Dome in 
Smith County, and the Anderson Dome in Anderson County. Where 
these domes occur, they introduce complications into the artesian 
conditions. 

TERTIARY AND QUATERNARY ROCKS. 

Resting on the Cretaceous rocks are the Tertiary and Quaternary 
sediments, which constitute the exposed rocks and supply the water 
to artesian and other deep wells. The sequence of the rocks is 
shown in the following table: 

Cenozoic deposits of the Texas Coastal Plain. 



Sys- 
tem. 


Series. 


Formation. 


Thick- 
ness. 


Lithology and characteristic fossils. 




Recent. 




Feet. 
0-50 


Fluviatile deposits, consisting of brown, red, or black 
sandy clay or silt of the low, overflow terraces of the 
streams; also present flood-plain materials, including 
sand and giavel bars. Recent buffalo bones, etc. Sea- 
ward, these fluviatile deposits grade into interstream de- 
posits consisting of yellow and blue clays and yellow 
wave-formed sand, sand and shell beaches, bars, and bar- 
riers, carrying Rangia cuneata and other fossils. 


>. 


Pleistocene. 


Beaumont clay. 


800 
max. 


Blue, calcareous clay, with nu- 
merous lime concretions about 
1 inch through. Lenses of 
sand and sandy clay. The 
clays carry Rangia cuneata, 
etc.; embedded logs are com- 
mon. 


Farther inland the Lis- 
sie gravel and Beau- 
mont clay are repre- 
sented along the 
stream valleys by the 
lowest and the mid- 
dle of the three Pleis- 
tocene terraces. 


a 

u 

<D 

-4-> 

S3 

3 


Lissie gravel. 
—Unconformity- 
Highest Pleis- 
tocene ter- 
race (farther 
inland). 

—Unconformity- 


Thin 
to 900 


Gravels and coarse sands, with 
some small lenses and pockets 
of red clay in places; limy 
clays, gravels, and limy con- 
glomerates or "adobe" in 
others. The fossils include 
Equus semiplicatus, Megal- 
onyx, etc. 




0-50 


Fluviatile deposits consisting of gravels of granitic origin 
in and adjacent to certain drainage areas; flints, lime- 
stone de'bris, and limy conglomerates in others; ferru- 
ginous sands and silts, with fragments of iron ore, in still 
others. In the stream valleys these materials appear as 
terraceslying 200 to 225 feet above the level of the present 
stream channels, and grading laterally into an inter- 
stream or upland phase veneering the uplands with a 
sheet of gravel where the Yegua and Jackson formations 
constitute the country rock, but thinning and disap- 
pearing south of the Yequa-Catahoula or the Jackson- 
Catahoula boundary. No fossils. 













28 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
Cenozoic deposits of the Texas Coastal Plain — Continued. 



Sys- 
tem. 



■=, 



Series. 



Pliocene. 



Miocene. 



Oligocene. 



Eocene. 



Formation. 



Uvalde forma- 
tion (late 
Pliocene). 



— Unconformity- 



Dewitt forma- 
tion. o 



Fleming clay, b 
~ Unconformity- 

Catahoula 
sandstone, c 



Jackson forma- 
tion, c 



Yegua for- 
mation. 



Cook 

Moun- 
tain for- 
mation. 



Mount Sel- 
man for- 
mation. 



Thick- 
ness. 



Feet. 



0-100 



1,250- 
1,500 



200-500 



500-800 



Lithology and characteristic fossils. 



Fluviatile deposits, consisting of flint gravel and limestone 
debris embedded in a clay matrix. In the plateau region 
west of the Coastal Plain the formation appears as the 
uppermost terrace of the major streams, lying about 350 
feet above the levels of the present stream channels. 
Along the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, the terraces 
grade laterally into an upland gravel deposit, which caps 
the interstream areas, but thins and disappears a short 
distance to the east and south. 



Lacustrine and littoral deposits, consisting of cross-bedded, 
coarse, gray, semi-induratea, highly calcareous sand- 
stones. Lenses of clay in places. Aceratherium and other 
fossils. East of the Brazos these beds are almost com- 
pletely overlapped by the lissie gravel. Seaward, the 
time equivalent of the Dewitt formation is represented 
by about 800 feet of marine sands and clays, carrying 
Area carolinensis and other upper Miocene marine fossils 
and believed to involve some of the lower Pliocene. 
These marine deposits do not outcrop and are not a part 
of the lacustrine Dewitt formation, which also includes 
some deposits of early Pliocene age. 



Palustrine deposits, consisting of gray, white, and bluish- 
white, bedded, calcareous clays, with numerous small 
concretions of lime and some lenses of sand. 



Littoral deposits, consisting of hard, blue, semiquartzitic, 
noncalcareous sandstones, with interbedded lenticular 
masses of green clays. 



0-250 



375-750 



400 



Marine deposits, consisting of calcareous blue clays, with 
large limestone concretions. Carry Levifusus branneri 
and other Eocene forms. 



Palustrine deposits, consisting of green clays with concre- 
tions of selenite; in places, lenses of sand and lignite. 



Palustrine and marine deposits, consisting of lenticular 
masses of yellow sand and clay; in places, lenses of green 
calcareous, glauconitic, fossiliferous marl. Beds of limo- 
nite and lignite. Some of the clays carry fossiliferous 
calcareous concretions. Formation as a whole is de- 
cidedly ferruginous. Fossils: Ostrea sellseformis, Ostrea 
divaricata, Anomia ephippioides, and others. 



350 



Palustrine and marine deposits, consisting of red, ferrugi- 
nous, indurated, and probably altered greensand, with 
casts of shells, lenses of lignite and clay, beds and concre- 
tions of limonite. The formation as a whole is conspicu- 
ously ferruginous. Carries casts of Venericardia plani- 
costa. 



a Studies made after the manuscript of this report was prepared seem to indicate that what is here called 
the Dewitt formation is represented alon^ the Sabine by the beds described as the Fleming clay. 

6 As paleontologic studies made after the manuscript of this report was prepared show that deposits con- 
sidered part of the Fleming clay are not older than M iocene, this formation is referred to the Miocene. (See 
subsequent list of fossils.) A discrepancy thus exists becween the text of the report and the legend of PI. I, 
which had already been printed. 

c Studies made by the author since writing this report seem to indicate that the Catahoula sandstone 
as here described is not a stratigraphic unit but comprises two formations of similar lithologic character; 
the one at the base being of Jackson age, whereas the upper sandstone is of Oligocene age. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIX 



Cenozoic deposits of the Texas Coastal Plain — Continued. 



29 



Sys- 
tem. 


Series. 


Formation. 


ness Lithology and characteristic fossils. 


>> 

u 
09 

U 

s 

Eh 


Eocene. 


Wilcox forma- 
tion. 


Feet. 

800- 
1,100 


Palustrine, marine, and littoral deposits. The littoral de- 
posits comprise the Queen City sand member, at the top 
of the formation, consisting of 50 to 200 feet of white, por- 
ous, loose, water-bearing sands, with someinterstratified 
clays. The palustrine deposits consist of lenticular 
masses of sandj clay, and lignite, carrying large, espe- 
cially characteristic concretions (20 to 30 feet in diame- 
ter) of hard fhntlLke sandstone; the palustrine clays are 
leaf bearing, and in places carry teeth of Crocodylus gry- 
pus. The marine deposits consist of calcareous, glauco- 
nitic, fossuiferous marls, alternating with beds of sand, 
clay, and lignite; they are exposed only on Sabine River. 
Characteristic fossils of the marine phase are Kellia 
prima, Natica aperta, and Pleurotoma silicata. 




Midway forma- 
tion. 


250-500 


Marine deposits, consisting of black and blue clays with 
interbedded strata of limestone and some lenses of sand, 
which are somewhat rare north of the Brazos. Plejona 
limopsis, Enclimatoceras ulrichi, and other fossils. 



In the descriptions of the several f orrnations, the symbols used in 
the several synonymic tables have the following meanings: = Equal 
in every respect; = equal in a general way; <less than; > greater 
than. 

TERTIARY SYSTEM. 



EOCENE SERIES. 



MIDWAY FORMATION. 



NAME AND CORRELATION. 



The formation here called the Midway takes its name from Midway 
Landing, 1 on the west side of Alabama River in Wilcox County, Ala., 
where it is exposed. The formation extends from Georgia on the 
east to Texas on the west. Smith and Johnson originally (1887) 
used the term Midway in describing the beds which represent the 
lowermost part of what is here termed the Midway formation. 

In 1889 Penrose described the formation in Texas under the name 
"Wills Point or Basal clays," from the exposure at Wills Point, in 
Van Zandt County. 

In 1892 Harris pointed out the fact that the calcareous beds lying 
above the Cretaceous and below the Wilcox in Alabama extend east- 
ward into Georgia and westward into Texas and retain essentially 
throughout these States the same lithologic and paleontologic char- 
acter. This stratigraphic division, which is the one recognized in 
this report, he called the Midway stage. 

1 Harris, G. D., The Tertiary geology of southern Arkansas: Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Arkansas, vol. 
2, 1894, pp. 8, 9, 22; The Midway stage: Bull. Am. Paleontology, vol. 1, 1896, pp. 11-13. 



30 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

The formation in Arkansas and Louisiana has been described by 
Harris, in Mississippi by Crider, in Alabama by Smith, and in Georgia 
by Harris. 

Beds now recognized as belonging to the Midway have been re- 
ferred to and described as — 

<^Eolignitic, lleilprin, Angelo, Notes on the Tertiary geology of the southern United 
States: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 33, 1881, p. 159. 

^>Black Bluff division of the Lignitic in Alabama (representing the medial portion 
of the present Midway). Smith, E. A., and Johnson, L. C, Tertiary and Cretaceous 
strata of the Tuscaloosa, Tombigbee, and Alabama rivers: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey 
No. 43, 1887, p. 18. 

> Midway division of the Lignitic in Alabama (representing the lower portion of the 
Midway as here recognized). Idem, p. 18. 

^>Naheola division of the Lignitic in Alabama (representing the upper portion of the 
Midway as here recognized). Idem, p. 18. 

<^Lignitic in Alabama (the present Midway constitutes the lower portion). Idem, 
pp. 18, 38-63. 

~> Matthew's Landing division of the Lignitic in Alabama (representing the upper 
portion of the Midway as now recognized). Idem, pp. 18, 57-60; and Smith, E. A., 
and Johnson, L. C, Report on the geology of the Coastal Plain of Alabama: Geol. 
Survey Alabama, 1894, pp. 27, 181-185. 

—Basal or Wills Point clays in Texas (representing the equivalent of the Midway 
as here recognized). Penrose, P. A. F., jr., A preliminary report on the geology 
of the Gulf Tertiaries of Texas from Red River to the Rio Grande: First Ann. Rept. 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1890, p. 19. 

> Clayton in Alabama (corresponding to the lower portion of the present Midway). 
Langdon, D. W., Variations in the Cretaceous and Tertiary strata of Alabama: Bull. 
Geol. Soc. America, vol. 2, 1891, p. 594. 

=Basal or Wills Point clays in Texas (equivalent of the Midway as here recognized). 
Kennedy, William, A section from Terrell, Kaufman County, to Sabine Pass, on the 
Gulf of Mexico: Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, pp. 47-50. 

= Midway in Arkansas (equivalent of the Midway as here recognized). Harris, 
G. D., The Tertiary geology of southern Arkansas: Ann. Rept. Arkansas Geol. Survey, 
vol. 2, 1892, pp. 8, 9, 22; The Midway stage: Bull. Am. Paleontology, vol. 1, 1896, pp. 
11-13, 36-37. 

—Oak Hill-Pine Barren group in Alabama (representing the exact equivalent 
of the Midway as here recognized). Smith, E. A., Johnson, L. C, and Langdon, 
D. W., jr., Report on the geology of the Coastal Plain of Alabama: Geol. Survey 
Alabama, 1894, p. 188. 

>Sucarnochee or Black Bluff division of the Lignitic in Alabama (representing the 
medial portion of the Midway as here recognized). Idem, p. 186. 

> Clayton (Midway) in Alabama (representing the lower portion of the Midway as 
here recognized). Idem, pp. 192 et seq. 

=Basal beds or Wills Point clays in Texas (representing the Midway as here recog- 
nized). Kennedy, William, The Eocene Tertiary east of the Brazos River: Proc. 
Acad. Sci. Philadelphia, 1895, pp. 144-149. 

= My rick formation in Texas (including in a general way the Midway and perhaps 
portions of the Wilcox). Vaughan, T. W., Uvalde folio (No. 64), Geol. Atlas U. S., 
U. S. Geol. Survey, 1900, p. 2. 

=Lytton formation in Texas (equivalent of the Midway as here recognized). Hill, 
R. T., and Vaughan, T. W., Austin folio (No. 76), Geol. Atlas U. S., U. S. Geol. Survey, 
1902, p. 6. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN". 31 

= Midway group in Mississippi (subdivided into a lower formation, the Clayton 
limestone, and an upper formation, the Porters Creek clay; representing the equivalent 
of the Midway as here recognized). Crider, A. F., Geology and mineral resources of 
Mississippi: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 283, 1906, pp. 22-24. 

== Midway group in Alabama (consisting of a lower formation, the Clayton lime- 
stone, a medial formation, the Sucarnochee clay, and an upper formation, the Naheola 
or "Matthews Landing" formation; representing the equivalent of the Midway as 
here recognized). Smith, E. A., The underground water resources of Alabama: 
Geol. Survey Alabama, 1907, pp. 5, 15. 

OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTER. 

The Midway is the lowermost of the Tertiary formations in the 
Coastal Plain of Texas. It lies unconformably above the Cretaceous 
and conformably below the Wilcox formation. 

The formation consists of a series of clays and limestones of marine 
origin. At the base are usually found bluish micaceous clays or 
clayey sands, containing some light-yellowish fossiliferous lime- 
stone layers of marine origin. These are succeeded by sandy ledges, 
on top of which generally rest black selenitic clays. In Texas the 
formation is from 250 to 500 feet thick and dips from 1° to 5° SE. 

The geographic location of the outcrop of the Midway formation 
in the area is shown on the map (PI. I). The outcrop constitutes 
the eastern marginal prairies and occupies a narrow belt extending 
approximately north and south in Robertson, Falls, Limestone, 
Freestone, Navarro, Henderson, Kaufman, and Van Zandt counties. 
Much of the exposure is obscured by materials of later age. 

The impervious clay, which is the preponderating material in the 
composition of the Midway, makes the formation a very poor water 
carrier. It serves, however, as a confining sheet for the waters of 
the overlying porous sands of the Wilcox formation and constitutes 
an important datum plane to guide the well driller. 

RELATIONS TO ADJACENT FORMATIONS. 

The structural relations of the Midway formation to the under- 
lying Cretaceous deposits and to the overlying Wilcox formation are 
indicated in the geologic sections. (PI. I, in pocket.) 

Owing to the absence of good exposures it has not thus far been 
possible to recognize a structural unconformity between these beds 
and the underlying Cretaceous deposits. The only satisfactory sec- 
tion showing the relation to the underlying terranes is found on the 
Brazos, 1 J miles above the Milam County line, and here the Midway 
apparently rests conformably upon the Cretaceous. But in Missis- 
sippi, 1 in Alabama, 1 in Arkansas, 1 and on Frio River in Texas, 2 where the 

» Harris, G. D., The Midway stage: Bull. Am. Paleontology, vol. 1, 1890, pp. 38, 39. 
2 Vaughan, T. W., Geological reconnaissance in the Rio Grande coal fields of Texas: Bull. U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 164, 1900, p. 36. 



32 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Tertiary-Cretaceous contact is exposed, an unconformity is evident, 
proving the intervention of a land epoch between the Cretaceous and 
the Tertiary deposition, and it may be safely inferred that similar 
conditions exist in the east Texas area. 

In the region of the Brazos no sharp lithologic differentiation exists 
between the clays of the Midway and the underlying Cretaceous 
marls, and the two can be discriminated only by the aid of fossils. 
The paleontologic break, however, is very marked. 



PALEONTOLOGY. 



In Texas the Midway is characterized by the presence of Encli- 
matoceras ulrichi White, Ostrea pulaslcensis Harris, CucuUsea macro- 
donta Whitfield, Plejona limopsis (Conrad), Pseudoliva unicarinata 
Aldrich, and other fossils. (See PI. III.) Plejona limopsis has not 
thus far been found in the Midway east of the Brazos, but has been 
found in some material taken from a well at Elgin, in Bastrop County. 

Fossils were found (1) at Blue Shoals Bluff, (2) at Black Bluff., (3) 
half a mile up Salt Branch of Little Brazos River, (4) at Smileys 
Bluff, (5) 5 miles east of Elmo, (6) at Cribbs League Bluff, (7) at 
Tehuacana, (8) at Josiah Hogan League Bluff, (9) near Tehuacana 
(10) 4 miles northeast of Kemp, (11) 1 mile up Salt Branch of Little 
Brazos River, (12) near Kemp, (13) 5 miles northeast of Kemp, (14) 
near Elmo, (15) at Horn Hill, (16) on Rocky Cedar Creek near Elmo, 
(17) and on Salt Branch on Dennis Herald survey. A detailed list, 
with references to the above numbers, follows: 



Enclimatoceras ulrichi White, 1, 2, 3. 
Pleurotoina (Pleurotomella?) anacona 

Harris, 4, 5. 
P. (Surcula) ostrarupis Harris, 4. 
Plejona rugata (Conrad), 2, 6. 
P. precursor (Dall), 4. 
P.sp.,7. 

Fusus ostrarupis Harris, 4,6. 
Pseudoliva ostrarupis Harris, 4. 
P. ostrarupis var. pauper Harris, 4. 
Calyptraphorus velatus var. compressus 

(Aldrich), 1,2,6,8. 
Aporrhais gracilis Aldrich, 8. 
Aporrhaissp., 7, 8. 
Cerithium penrosei Harris, 4. 
C. whitfieldi Heilprin, 4. 
Turritella alabamiensis Whitfield, 1, 8, 9, 

10. 
T. mortoni Conrad var., 2, 6, 7. 
T. mortoni Conrad, 6. 
T. nerinexa Harris, 2 



T. humerosa Conrad, 9. 
Mesalia pumila var. wilcoxiana Harris, 11. 
M. var. hardemanensis Harris, 12. 
M. alabamiensis (Whitfield), 10. 
Isucula magnifica Conrad, 2, 6. 
Leda milamensis Harris, 4. 
Yoldia eborea (Conrad), 1, 2, 6, 8. 
Cucullsea macrodonta Whitfield, 1, 2, 6, 8. 

13, 14. 
C. saffordi Gabb, 10. 
Ostrea crenulimarginata Gabb, jr., 4, 9, 

15. 
O. pulaskensis Harris, 1, 6, 8, 16. 
Modiola saffordi Gabb, jr., 15. 
Crassatellites gabbi (Safford), 1,2,5,6,8. 
Venericardia planicosta Lamarck, 5, 7, 15, 

17. 
V. alticostata Conrad, 5, 17. 
V. alticostata Conrad var., 1, 2, 6, 8. 
Cytherea ripleyana Gabb, 10. 
C. sp.,7, 10. 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 335 PLATE III 




CHARACTERISTIC FOSSILS OF THE MIDWAY FORMATION. 



1, l :l , lb. Enclimatoceras ulrichi White. 
2, 2". Ostrea crenulimarginata Gabb. 
3, 3*, 3b, 3c. 3d, 3e. Ostrea pulaskensis Harris. 



4. Plejona limopsis (Conrad). 

5. Plejona rugatus (Conrad). 

6, 6 a , Flabellum conoideum Vaughan. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 33 

DETAILED SECTIONS. 

Brazos River section. — The beds belonging to the Midway formation 
are typically exposed along Brazos River (see PL I, in pocket) from 
1^ miles by river north of the Milam-Falls county line to 2 miles 
north of the mouth of Pond Creek in Milam County, a total distance 
of 5f miles by river or about 4^ miles by linear measure across the 
outcrop at right angles to the strike. 

The bluff highest upstream that shows these beds and also their 
contact with the underlying Cretaceous is about 1 J miles north of the 
Milam-Falls county line : 1 

Section exposed in bluff on west bank of Brazos River, southeast line of the Josiah Hogan 

League, Falls County, Tex. 
Quaternary: Feet. 

River alluvium 4 

Gravel I 

Unconformity. 
Eocene: 

Midway formation: 

Blue clay and sand breaking into nodules and conchoidal 
pieces, weathering into a grayish-yellow clay and con- 
taining fossils as follows: Calyptraphorus velatus var. 
compressus Aid. ; Aporrhais gracilis Aldrich; Turritella ala- 
bamiensis Whitf.; Yoldia eborea (Con.); Cucullsea macro- 
donta Whitf .; Ostrea pulashensis Harris; Crassatellites gabbi 

(Safford) .' 5 

Transitional blue clay 1 

Cretaceous: Massive blue clay with Baculites and other Cretaceous 
fossils 14 

25 
One-half mile below the Cretaceous-Tertiary contact just described 
a bluff at Blue Shoals shows the following section : 2 

Section about 1 mile above the Milam County line, west bank of Brazos River, Falls County, 

Tex. 

Feet. 

Pleistocene: Brown sand and river alluvium 10 

Unconformity. 
Eocene: 

Midway formation: 

Blue indurated clay with concretions of limestone, contain- 
ing the following fossils: Enclimatoceras ulrichi White; 
Calyptraphorus velatus Con. var. compressus Aid.; Turri- 
tella alabamiensisWhiti.; Yoldia eborea (Con.); Cucullsea 
macrodontaWhiti., var.; Ostrea pulashensis Harris; Crassa- 
tellites gabbi (Safford); Venericardia alticostata Con. var.. 5 
Laminated blue, almost black fossiliferous clay 4 

19 

' Kennedy, William, The Eocene Tertiary east of the Brazos River: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 
1895, p. 145. The fossils were determined by Harris; the list has been partly revised. 
• * Idem, p. 148. The fossils were determined by Harris; the list has been partly revised. 

14926°— wsp 335—14 3 



34 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

At the very northern limit of Milam County, 1 mile below the 
]) receding section, on the west bank of the river, is Black, or Milam 
Bluff, about one-third mile long and 40 feet high. Its lower part is 
composed of very dark, almost black clays containing shell fragments 
and running into lighter yellowish and greenish clays toward the top. 
The upper part contains highly calcareous indurated strata showing 
a nodular structure and containing many fossils. The lower part of 
the bluff is not so calcareous as the upper part. 

The beds dip southeast 276 feet to the mile. From them have 
been collected 1 Enclimatoceras ulrichi White; Plejona rugata (Con.); 
( alyptrapJiorus velatus Con. var. compressus Aid.; Turritella mortoni 
Con. var.; T. nerinexa Harris; Nucula magnified Con.; Yoldia eborea 
(Con.); Cucullsea macrodonta Whitf.; Crassatellites gabbi (Safford); 
and Venericardia alticostata Con. var. 

About three-fourths mile below Milam or Black Bluff on the 
west bank of the river, on the C. Cribbs League of Milam County 
in Cribbs League Bluff, the following section is exposed : 2 

Section exposed at Cribbs League Bluff, Milam County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Quaternary : Surface soil, brown sand and gravel 2 

Eocene: 

Midway formation: 

Yellow clay 4 

Ledge of fossiliferous siliceous limestone 2 

Yellow clay ; similar to No. 2 5 

Ledge of fossiliferous siliceous limestone 2 

Dark-blue laminated jointed clay 30-35 



45-50 



The fossils collected at this locality include Plejona rugata (Con.), 
Fusus ostrarupis Harris, Calyptraphorus velatus Aid. var. compressus, 
TurriteUa mortoni Con., Yoldia eborea (Con.), Cucullaea macrodonta 
Whitf., Ostrea pulaskensis Harris. Venericardia alticostata Con. var., 
and Crassatellites gabbi (Safford). 

Thiee miles by river below Cribbs League Bluff and 2 miles above 
the mouth of Pond Creek, on the west side of Brazos River and on the 
northeast corner of the Byrum Wickson League of Milam County, is 
located Oyster Bluff or Smileys Bluff. The beds exposed represent 
the uppermost portion of the Midway formation and are the equiva- 
lent of the Naheola ("Matthews Landing") formation of the Alabama 
section. 3 

» Harris, G. D., The Midway stage: Bull. Am. Paleontology, vol. 1, 1896, p. 128. 

2 Kennedy, William, The Eocene Tertiary of Texas east of the Brazos River: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 
Philadelphia, 1895, p. 147. The list of fossils has been partly revised. 

3 Harris, G. D., New and otherwise interesting Tertiary mollusca from Texas: Proc. Acad. Nat. ScL 
Philadelphia, 1895, p. 45. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAI^. 35 

Section exposed at Smiley s Bluff, west bank of Brazos River and northeast corner of Byrum 

Wickson League, Milam County, Tex. 

Quaternary : Feet. 

River alluvium 4 

Conglomerate 2 

Coarse conglomerate with bowlders 2± 

Eocene: 

Wilcox formation: Thinly stratified, yellowish-gray clay, sand 
and blue clay, with some rounded concretions of calcareous 

sandstone 10 

Midway formation: 

Blue laminated clay, fossiliferous 4 

Thin bed of concretions and hard fossiliferous limestone. . 1 

Thinly laminated gray clay and sand 3 

Bluish-gray sand 1 

Thinly laminated dark-blue clay and sand 3 

Dark-blue laminated fossiliferous sand 2 



32 

The fossiliferous beds of the Midway cany Pleurotoma (Pleuroto- 
mella) anacona Harris, P. (Surcula) ostrarupis Harris, Plejona precursor 
Dall, Fusus ostrarupis Harris, Pseudoliva ostrarupis Harris, CeritJiium 
penrosei Harris, C. wMtfieldi Heilprin, Leda milamensis Harris, and 
L. milamensis Harris, large var. 1 

The complete section along Brazos River is indicated in the dia- 
gram on Plate IV (in pocket). 

Falls County. — Along Salt Branch of Little Biazos River on the 
Dennis Herald Survey in Falls County, limestone of the Midway for- 
mation is exposed. One-half mile above the confluence of the two 
streams specimens of Enclimatoceras ulrichi White, Venericardia 
planicosta Lam., and Venericardia alticostata Con. var. are found, and 
a mile above the confluence, Mesalia pumila var. wilcoxiana (Aid.) 
occurs. 2 

Limestone County. — At Horn Hill in Limestone County, the Mid- 
way formation is exposed and carries Turritella Jiumerosa Con., 
Ostrea crenulimarginata Gabb, jr., Modiola saffordi Gabb, jr., and 
Venericardia planicosta Lam. 

In the vicinity of Tehuacana are exposed limestones of the Mid- 
way formation, which are probably the correlative of limestone No. 
14 in Smith and Johnson's section near Oak Hill, Wilcox County, 
Ala. 3 The stratum is probably the same as that exposed at Horn 
Hill and represents about the medial portion of the Midway forma- 
tion. The section follows. 1 

1 Kennedy, William, The Eocene Tertiary of Texas east of the Brazos River: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 
Philadelphia, 1895, p. 146. The list of fossils has been partly revised. 

2 Harris, G. D., The Midway stage: Bull. Am. Paleontology, vol. 1, 1896, p. 129. 

3 Harris, G. D., The geology of the Mississippi embayment, with special reference to the State of Loui- 
siana: Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana, 1902, p. 9. 



3(i GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Section of Midway formation near Tehuacanu, Limestone County, Tex. 

Whitish to grayish- white limestone carrying Plejona sp., Turritella Feet. 
humerosa Con., T. alabamiensis Whitf., Venericardia planicosta 
Lam., and Cytherea sp 40 

Brownish-gray sand changing to brown near base. 

Black ahaly clay. 

The brownish-gray sand near the base carries many indefinite fossil 
remains, among them fairly well preserved imprints of Turritella 
mortoni var. These fossils occur about 45 feet below the base of the 
limestone. About 70 feet below the base of the limestone, in black 
shaly clay, the same fauna includes fragments of Nautilus?, Pleuro- 
toma and Aporrhais; and large calcareous concretions are common. 
Ostrea crenulimarginata has been found in the vicinity of Tehuacana. 
The attitude of the limestone varies considerably; in places it dips 
45°; the direction is generally to the south-southeast. 1 

Kaufman County. — Four miles northeast of Kemp the Midway 
formation is represented by light-gray and yellowish calcareous sand- 
stones yielding Turritella alabamiensis Whitf., Mesalia alabamiensis 
(Whitf.), M. pumila var. Jtardemanensis (Gabb), Cucullsea macrodonta 
Whitf., and Cytherea ripleyana Gabb. 

Five miles east of Elmo, on the public road crossing of Rocky Cedar 
Creek, outcropping limestones of the Midway formation carry 2 Pleuro- 
toma anacona Harris, CucuUgea macrodonta "Whitf., Ostrea pulaskensis 
Harris, CrassateUites gabbi (SarTord), Venericardia planicosta Lam., 
and V. alticostata Con. var. 

Van Zandt County. — It was from the exposure of the Midway for- 
mation in the vicinity of Wills Point, in Van Zandt County, that Pen- 
rose gave it the name " Wills Point clays." The general section ex- 
posed in this vicinity, as reported by Kenned j", 3 is as follows: 

Section exposed in the region around Wills Point, Tex. 

Midway formation : Feet. 

Yellowish-brown sand containing calcareous bowlders of sand- 
stone, limestone with thin veins or seams, some nodules of crys- 
talline calcite, and occasional fossil remains 30 

Yellow laminated clay with thin partings of yellow sand and 
some bowlders of siliceous limestone 90 

Massive bedded clay, showing no signs of lamination, containing 
numerous bowlders similar to those of No. 1 30 

White limestone containing great quantities of fossil casts, chiefly 
Turritella (?), Cardita ( Venericardia) planicosta, Ostrea (?), 
and other bivalve shells S 

1 Harris, G. D., The Midway stage: Bull. Am. Paleontology, vol. 1, 1896, p. 129. 

2 Idem, pp. 129-130. 

3 Kennedy, William, A section from Terrell, Kaufman County, to Sabine Pass on the Gulf of Mexico: 
Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, p. 49. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 37 

Midway formation — Continued. 

Brown sand 2 

Limestone similar to the white limestone above 10 

Bluish-gray sand 30 

Dark-blue laminated and much-jointed clays with thin sandy 
partings, containing occasional small bivalve shells chiefly, 
and having a thin pavement of siliceous nodules near its upper 
surface 62 

262 
The beds dip southeast 91 to 276 feet to the mile. 

WILCOX FORMATION. 

NAME AND CORRELATION. 

The formation here considered is called the Wilcox, 1 after Wilcox 
County in Alabama, where it is characteristically exposed. It was first 
recognized and described in 1894 by Harris, who gave it the name 
"Lignitic." The same group of beds was called " Chickasaw" by 
Dall in 1896, "Sabine" by Veatch in 1906, and Wilcox by Crider 
in 1906. "Lignitic" is a lithologic and not a geographic name and 
therefore is not in accord with the rules of geologic nomenclature. 
"Chickasaw" was originally proposed by Hilgard as an equivalent 
for the beds he called the "Northern Lignitic," in which he included 
beds belonging to the Wilcox, Claiborne, and Jackson ; Dall used the 
term later to apply to beds here recognized as Wilcox. "Sabine 
River beds" was applied by Penrose in 1890 to deposits that in- 
cluded a portion of the Claiborne, and his use of this term would 
have precedence over Yeatch's use of "Sabine." Wilcox is thus the 
only name to which there are no objections, and it is therefore 
adopted in this report as the proper designation for this division of 
the Eocene. 

The Wilcox formation occurs in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, 
Mississippi, Alabama, 2 and Georgia. 3 

In his classification of the Tertiary sediments of Mississippi, 
Hilgard in 1860 recognized at the base of the system a group of beds 
containing lignite which he called the "Northern Lignitic" and in 
which he included the Midway formation and the Wilcox formation 
as here recognized. 

In 1881 Heilprin called attention to the fact that the basal Tertiary 
deposits in Alabama contained lignite, and he named the deposits 
that appeared below the Claiborne and above the Cretaceous the 
"Eolignitic." These beds were the same as those called by Hilgard 

Crider, A. F., Geology and mineral resources of Mississippi: Bull. L T . S. Geol. Survey No. 2S3, 19CH5, 
pp. 25-28. 

a Smith, E. A., The underground water resources of Alabama: Geol. Survey Alabama, 1907, pp. 15, 16. 

8 McCallie, S. W., A preliminary report on the underground waters of Georgia: Bull. Geol. Survey Georgia 
No. 15, 1908, pp. 34, 35. 



88 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

"Northern Lignitic." Later (1887) Smith and Johnson substituted 
"Lignitic" for "Eolignitic." 

The first authentic account of the Texas representatives of the 
Wilcox was given in 1890 by Penrose, who described them, in con- 
junction with what are now called the Mount Selman and Cook 
Mountain formations, as the u Timber Belt or Sabine River beds." 
He fixed their stratigraphic position correctly as lower Tertiary 
overlying the Midway, but made no attempt to correlate them with 
the various divisions of the Tertiary established by Hilgard in 
Mississippi in 1860, and by Smith and Johnson in Alabama in 1887. 

In 1894, Harris pointed out for the first time that the group of 
beds that contained lignite in the Coastal Plain region was strati- 
graphically continuous from Alabama on the east to Texas on the 
west, and that it was lithologically distinct from the formation below 
now recognized as Midway, which had been considered heretofore as 
a part of the lignitiferous group. He r therefore, recognized two 
units in place of the "Northern Lignitic" of Hilgard and the ''Lig- 
nitic" of Smith and Johnson. The lowermost he called the Midway 
and the uppermost the "Lignitic." This classification has been 
found to be valid, and is the one followed in this report, though the 
name Wilcox is substituted for "Lignitic," because the latter is not 
a geographic name. 

In 1897, Harris . pro ved that the lower lignitiferous formation in 
Texas was also paleontologically equivalent to the lithologically 
and stratigraphically similar group in Alabama and Mississippi. 

Beds here considered as constituting the Wilcox formation have 
been previously referred to as — 

^Northern Lignitic in Mississippi (included also the Midway). Hilgard, E. W., 
Report on the geology and agriculture of the State of Mississippi, 1860, pp. 110-123, 
and map. 

<CLagrange group (included portions of all the Eocene beds above the Midway). 
Safford, J. M., On the Cretaceous and superior formations of western Tennessee: Am. 
Jour. Sci., 2d ser., vol. 37, 1864, pp. 369-370. 

<Lignite foiirnation in Alabama and Mississippi (included also the underlying 
Midway as here recognized). Conrad, T. A., Observations on the Eocene lignite 
formation of the United States: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 17, 1865. 

> Mansfield group (included only a portion of the Wilcox as here recognized ; re- 
ferred by Hilgard to the Vicksburg). Hilgard, E. W., Summary of results of a 
late geological reconnaissance of Louisiana : Am. Jour. Sci., 2d ser., vol.48, 1869, p. 340. 

<Eolignitic (included also the Midway). Heilprin, Angelo, Notes on the Tertiary 
geology of the southern United States: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1881, 
vol. 33, p. 159. 

<^Lignitic in Alabama (included also the Midway). Smith, E. A., and Johnson, 
L. C, Tertiary and Cretaceous strata of the Tuscaloosa, Tombigbee, and Alabama 
rivers: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 43, 1887, pp. 38-71. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 39 

< Timber Belt or Sabine River beds in Texas (included also a portion of the Claiborne) . 
Penrose, R. A. F., jr., A preliminary report on the geology of the Gulf Tertiaries of 
Texas from Red River to the Rio Grande: First Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 
1890, pp. 22-47. 

=Lignitic beds in Texas. Kennedy, William, A section from Terrell, Kaufman 
County, to Sabine Pass on the Gulf of Mexico: Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey 
Texas, 1892, p. 50; also, The Eocene Tertiary east of the Brazos River: Proc. Acad. 
Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1895, pp. 134-144. 

<^Camden series in Arkansas (included the fossiliferous Jackson, the Wilcox as here 
recognized, and a portion of the Cretaceous). Hill, R. T., Neozoic geology of south- 
western Arkansas: Rept. Geol. Survey Arkansas, vol. 2, 1888, pp. 48-53. 

<CLower Lignitic in northern Louisiana. Lerch, Otto, A preliminary report upon 
the hills of Louisiana: Bull. Louisiana Experiment Station, 1893, pt. 2. 

<^Lignitic in Alabama (included the upper portions of the Midway, but not the 
lowest portion). Smith, E. A., Johnson, L. C, and Langdon, D. W., jr. Report on 
the geology of the Coastal Plain of Alabama: Geol. Survey Alabama, 1894. 

=Lignitic (represents the exact equivalent of the Wilcox as here recognized). 
Harris, G. D., On the geological position of the Eocene deposits of Maryland and 
Virginia: Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 47, 1894, pp. 391-394; also, A preliminary report 
on the geology of Louisiana: Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana, 1899, pp. 64-73; also, 
The geology of the Mississippi embayment with special reference to the State of 
Louisiana: Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana, 1902, pp. 11-17; also, The Tertiary geology 
of southern Arkansas: Second Ann. Rept. Arkansas Geol. Survey, 1894, pp. 55 et seq.; 
also, The Lignitic stage: Bull. Am. Paleontology, vol. 3, No. 9, 1897, p. 202. 

= Chickasawan stage (included the same division of the Eocene here called Wilcox). 
Dall, W. H., A table of North American Tertiary horizons correlated with one an- 
other and with those of western Europe, with annotations: Eighteenth Ann. Rept. 
U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 2, 1898, pp. 334, 344-345. 

=Sabine formation in Texas and Louisiana (identical with the beds here called 
Wilcox). Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisi- 
ana and southern Arkansas: Prof. Paper IT. S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1906, pp. 34 et seq. 

= Wilcox formation (identical with the beds given the same name in this report). 
Crider, A. F., Geology and mineral resources of Mississippi: Bull. IT. S. Geol. Survey 
No. 283, 1906, pp. 25-28; Smith, E. A., The underground water resources of Alabama: 
Geol. Survey Alabama, 1907, p. 5. 

OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTER. 

The conformable series of strata constituting the Wilcox forma- 
tion lies stratigraphically above the Midway formation and below 
the Mount Selman formation, the latter being the basal formation 
of the Claiborne group in this region. 

The exposed part of the formation as well as the part which lies 
beneath the outcrop of the Claiborne group consists almost entirely 
of deposits of shallow-water origin, including lenticular beds of sand, 
large leaf-bearing calcareous sandstone concretions, sandstones, clays, 
sandy clays, lignites, and cross-bedded sands and sandstones. Only 
along Sabine River, in Sabine County, so far as is at present known, 
do fossiliferous beds of marine origin outcrop. In the deeper em- 



40 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

bedded parts, however, it is very probable that the formation con- 
sists wholly of marine deposits, in which are included beds of fos- 
siliferous glauconitic marl. 

The shallow-water origin of the exposed parts of the Wilcox is 
proved not only by the character of the formation which comprises 
deposits, such as the lignites and the cross-bedded sands, but also by 
the fossil leaves and plant remains, which occur in it at a great num- 
ber of places. 

The Wilcox is from 800 to 1,000 feet in thickness, making it prob- 
able that it was laid down on a steadily subsiding sea floor. 

The areas of outcrop of the Wilcox lie east and south of the Midway 
exposures and include large portions of Robertson, Limestone, Leon, 
Freestone, Navarro, Anderson, Henderson, Van Zandt, Smith, Gregg, 
Harrison, Rusk, Shelby, Panola, and Sabine counties. Where not 
covered by deposits of later age, the Wilcox almost invariably gives 
rise to sandy soils, easily eroded. The sandy outcrop constitutes a 
portion of the east Texas timber belt. 

Economically, the Wilcox is of great importance. The soils de- 
rived from the constituent sands and sandstones favor the growth of 
trees suitable for the manufacture of lumber or for fuel. The thicker 
lenses of lignite are mined at numerous places. Some of the in- 
durated sands and sandstones are locally used for building stone. In 
a great many places beds of clay suitable for the manufacture of 
building brick, paving brick, and pottery may be found. And, 
finally, the numerous sands and sandstones imbibe a large quantity 
of water which may be drawn on in wells, making the Wilcox one of 
the most important water bearers of the Coastal Plain. The wells at 
Hearne, Calvert, Mineola, and Marshall derive their water from the 
Wilcox. 

PALEONTOLOGY. 

Fossils were found in the Wilcox at (1) Port Caddo Landing, on 
Cypress Bayou, (2) Pendleton, (3) Sabinetown, and (4) Rockdale. 
In the following list all the species from Port Caddo Landing were 
collected by Vaughan and identified by Knowlton. 1 Fossils marked 
with an asterisk were collected by Deussen and determined b}' 
Vaughan, except Crocodylus grypus, which was determined by Gid- 
ley. All the other fossils in the list were reported by Harris. 2 

» Knowlton, F. H., Am. Geologist, vol. 16, 1895, p. 308. 
* Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana, 1899, pp. 299-309. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



41 



l. 



Salix tabellaris? Lx., 1. 
Magnolia laurifolia? Lx., 
M. ovalis Lx., 1. 
Juglans appressa Lx., 1. 
J.?n. sp., 1. 
Ficus schimperi Lx., 1. 
F. n. sp., 1. 
F. n. sp., 1. 

Cinnamomum affine Lx. 
C. mississippienseLx., 1. 
Laurus or Litsaea n. sp., 1. 
Pleurotoma silicata Aid., 2. 
P. veatchi Harris, 2. 
P. huppertzi var. Harris, 3. 
Cancellaria quercollis var. greggi Har- 
ris, 2. 
Buccinanops ellipticum Harris, 2, 3. 
B. altileCon.,3. 

Pseudoliva vetusta var. Harris, 2. 
P. vetusta (Con.), 3. 
Plejona petrosa (Con.) var., 2, 3. 
Levifusus indentus Harris, 2. 
L. supraplanus Harris, 2: 
L. pagoda Hams, 2. 
L. trabeatus var.? Harris, 2, 3. 
Mazzalina plena (Aid.), 2. 



Tritonideapachecoi Harris, 2. 

Nassa exilis Con., 2. 

Calyptraphorus trinodiferus Con., 2, 

Cassidaria brevidentata Aid . var., 2. 

Fusoficula juvenis Harris, 3. 

Turritella mortoniCon., 2. 

T. praecincta Con., 2. 

Natica eminula Con., 2, 3. 

N. aperta Whitf., 2. 

N. alabamiensis Whitf., 2. 

Sigaretus declivus Con., 3. 

Solarium bellense Harris, 2. 

Leda corpulentoides Aid., var., 2. 

L. aldrichianavar. Harris, 3. 

Barbatia cuculloides Con. var , 2. 

Modiola alabamiensis Aid., 2. 

*Venericardia planicosta Lam., 3 

*V. planicosta var. hornii Gabb, 3. 

Lucina ozarkana Harris, 3. 

Kellia prima Aid., 3. 

Cardium tuomeyi Aid., 3. 

Mactra bistriata Harris, 3. 

Corbula alabamiensis Lea var., 3. 

Ceronia sp., 2, 3. 

Pholas alatoideus Aid . , 3 . 

*Crocodylus grypus Cope, 4. 



DETAILED SECTIONS. 



Brazos River section. — All the beds exposed in the bluffs along 
Brazos River between Smileys Bluff in northern Milam County and 
Valley Junction in northern Robertson County are referred to the 
Wilcox formation. 

The section observed at Smileys Bluff, 2 miles above the mouth of 
Pond Creek, has already been given. (See p. 35.) In this bluff the 
lower beds, which carry fossils characteristic of the Midway, underlie 
10 feet of nonfossiliferous yellowish-gray clay, sand, and blue clay 
(containing concretions of calcareous sandstone), which probably 
represents the basal portion of the Wilcox. 

About 1J miles below the mouth of Pond Creek, on the Milam 
County side of Brazos River, a sand belonging to the Wilcox forma- 
tion is capped by a deposit of Pleistocene gravel containing black 
specks and rendered plastic by a white clay. Large calcareous con- 
cretions (locally called "kettle bottoms"), 1 to 8 feet in diameter, are 
embedded in the sand or have been loosened from the bluff and piled 
up in the bed of the river, obstructing its course and forming rapids. 1 

Three miles below the mouth of Pond Creek, a sand similar to 
that just described is seen close to the water's edge and is overlain by 



1 Durable, E. T., Report on the brown coal and lignite of Texas; character, formation, occurrence, and 
fuel uses: Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, p. 135. 



42 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

gray clays carrying beds of lignit e. ' Four miles below Pond Creek the 
clays dip beneath the water and are overlain by gray sands carrying 
calcareous concretions similar to those above described. 

Eight miles by river below this point, at a location known as the 
Cannon Ball Shoals, a bluff overlooking the river is made up of beds 
of gray sand 5 to 15 feet hi thickness and thin calcareous sandstones 
one-half to 1 foot in thickness. 2 

One-half mile below Cannon Ball Shoals, at Black Shoals, 3 not far 
below Black Bridge on the Calvert-Cameron road, the section is as 
follows : 

Section exposed at Black Shoals on Brazos River. 
Pleistocene: Feet. 

Brown loam 10 

Gravel 1 

Unconformity. 
Wilcox formation: 

Gray sand : 5 

Black or dark-blue clay, jointed and broken into cuboidal 

blocks 1 

Broken seams of lignite, running out 300 feet from foot of 

shoals • £ 

Black clay similar to No. 4 5 

Sandstone 1-6 

Black clay 1 

Gray calcareous sandstone £d= 

Gray sand, laminated, and containing thin layers of dark clay. 10 
Bed of rounded, waterworn bowlders, containing streaks of 

calcite \ 1 

Gray sand with pyrites 5 

The Black Shoals are about 400 feet long, and the beds dip south- 
east from 91 to 276 feet to the mile. 4 

One mile below Black Shoals a bluff on the west side of the river 
in Milam County exposes the following section: 5 

Section exposed in bluff on Brazos River, in Milam County, Tex., 1 mile below Black 

Shoals. 

Quaternary: Foet. 

Brown soil 1 

Yellow sandy clay 12 

Wilcox formation: 

Pale-blue sandy clay, with limy concretions 8 

Lignite 3 

Iron ore 1 

Dark-blue clay 2 

Lignite. 

1 Dumblc, E. T.,loc. cit. 

J Kennedy, William, Report on Grimes. Brazos, and Robertson counties: Fourth Ann. Rept. Geol, 
Survey Texas, 1893, p. 71. 

3 Kennedy (loc. cit.) calls these the "Bee Shoals," but on the War Department map of Brazos River, 
survey of 1900, they are labeled "Black Shoals," and this is probably correct. 

* Kennedy, William, op. cit.., p. 71. 

4 Idem, p. 70. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 43 

The lignite at the bottom of the section is apparently the same as 
that in the Black Shoals section. 

One-half mile below the bluff last described are the Herndon 
Shoals, which extend down the river for a mile. Calvert Bluff, which 
overlooks the shoals, is on the Jesse Webb League in Robertson 
County. The strata composing it have been slightly disturbed, the 
crest of a gentle anticline being visible at Herndon Landing. 1 The 
section follows : 

Section of Calvert Bluff on Jesse Webb League, Robertson County. 

Quaternary: Feet. 

Brown loamy clay 4 

Light-brown sand 7 

Brown sand and gravel 1£ 

Unconformity. 

Wilcox formation : 

Gray sand 3 

Lignite 12 

Dark-blue clay 3 

Lignite 3 

Dark-blue clay 6 

Lignite 3-4 

Dark grayish-blue sand 15 

Calcareous sandstone £ 

Dark-gray sand 2 

Lignite, poor quality £ 

Dark-gray sand 8 

Gray calcareous sandstone 1 

Dark bluish-gray sand, with iron pyrites 8 

Bowlders of clay ironstone and gray calcareous sandstone, with 
nodules of iron ore and thin seams of ferruginous sandstones 

with fossil leaves 2 

Gray sandstone 1£ 

Laminated bluish-gray sand to water line 2 

Between Calvert Bluff and the International & Great Northern 
Railroad bridge, a distance of 14 miles by river, the bluffs expose 
sand beds with calcareous concretions similar to those described. 2 
At the railroad bridge the following section is exposed : 

Section exposed on Brazos River at the International & Great Northern Railroad bridge, 

Robertson County, Tex. 

Feet. 
Quaternary: Calcareous light-green and yellow clay with white con- 
cretions 15 

Unconformity. 

Mount Selman formation (?): Nonfossiliferous greensand marl 6 

Wilcox formation ( ?) : Black clay to water line 10 

i Johnston, L. C, The iron regions of northern Louisiana and eastern Texas: House Ex. Doc, lstsess., 
50th Cong., vol. 20, No. 195, 1889, p. 21. 

2 Dumble, E. T., Report on the brown coal and lignite of Texas; character, formation, occurrence, and 
fuel uses: Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, p. 135. 



44 GEOLCKiY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

The complete section of the Wilcox formation along the Brazos is 
indicated on Plate IV (in pocket). At no point is there found a 
marine fossil which would prove the marine origin of any of these 
beds. On the contrary, fossil leaves indicative of a palustrine origin 
are found at a number of localities, notably at Calvert Bluff. Doubt- 
less if these beds could be followed down the dip they would be found 
to grade into marine deposits. How far the palustrine phase persists 
is a matter for future investigation. 

North of the Brazos. — In the region north of the Brazos numerous 
exposures of the Wilcox formation occur, but these do not differ 
materially from the sections along the river. All the sections indi- 
cate the lenticular nature of the different sands, clays, and lignites 
which largely make up this formation. No two sections any dis- 
tance apart reveal the same sequence of strata; at the same horizon 
in one place will be a sand bed, in another a clay, in still another a 
lignite. This is, of course, to be expected in a palustrine deposit. 

The character of the Wilcox formation in this portion of the 
Coastal Plain is admirably shown in the section of a well at Mineola 
in Wood County (pp. 359-360), from which it appears that the for- 
mation is not less than 500 feet in thickness in this vicinity. 

Northeast Texas. — In northeast Texas, in Cass, Marion, Harrison, 
Panola, Gregg, Smith, and Upshur counties, the Wilcox formation 
commonly underlies a red sandstone carrying casts of Venericardia 
planicosta. This sandstone, which appears to be an altered green- 
sand, is referred to the Mount Selman formation of the Claiborne 
group. 

WTiat is provisionally considered to be the uppermost part of the 
Wilcox formation in this portion of the State consists of littoral 
deposits of laminated or thinly stratified white and red sands and 
sandy clays which in places merge into one another but which, so 
far as known, contain neither lignite nor organic remains. These 
upper beds, which are from 50 to 200 feet thick, are so distinctive 
that it is considered desirable to follow the practice of Kennedy 1 and 
refer to them as the Queen City sand member of the Wilcox formation. 

Economically, the Queen City sand member is important. At 
Marshall, Tex., its sands are used for molding, and they supply many 
wells with water free from the mineral matter that is a common 
ingredient elsewhere. 

The lower beds of the Wilcox in northeast Texas are similar in all 
respects to the lower Wilcox deposits on the Brazos. The details 
of the sections follow : 

1 Kennedy, William, The Eocene Tertiary of Texas east of the Brazos River: Proc. Acad. Xat. Bet 
Philadelphia for 1S95, 18%, p. 135. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 45 

Section at Queen City in Cass County. i 

Feel. 

Quaternary (?): Gravelly iron ore, and broken pieces of nodular 

iron ore, sandstones, and sand 5 

Claiborne group: Laminated iron ore and sand in thin strata 4 

Wilcox formation: 

Stratified white and red sand with white sandy clay (Queen City 

sand member) 65 

Brown sand and clay 25 

Lignite 1£ 

In Harrison County, and particularly in the vicinity of Marshall, 
the same general section is observed. 

At Marshall, opposite the depot, in a low erosion bluff about 15 
feet high, a red ferruginous sandstone (probably an altered glau- 
conitic sand), which constitutes the country rock, is well exposed. 
Casts of Venericardia planicosta Lamarck, indicating marine origin, 
may be found hi this sandstone. 

Beneath the red sandstone, which is referred to the Claiborne 
group, occurs a red clay, and beneath this a fine-grained white sand 
consisting almost entirely of particles of quartz, lime not being- 
present in appreciable amount. 

Similar sections can be seen hi the washes of a small creek crossing 
the Marshall-Port Caddo road about one-half mile east of the court- 
house and in the gullies along the road from the courthouse to the 
waterworks. 

Beneath the beds described are the characteristic sandstones, clays, 
and lignites of the lower Wilcox. 

The following section is exposed on the Marshall-Jefferson road, 3 
miles north of Marshall, and about 1 mile south of the waterworks 
pumping station. The rocks dip 3° N. 20° E. 

Section 1 mile south of waterworks pumping station at Marshall, Tex. 

Mount Selman formation : Feet. 

Red sand with white streaks 10 

Yellow and gray shale 3 

Wilcox formation: White sand (Queen City sand member), exposed. 5 

18 
The following section is exposed in the bluff overlooking the Wal- 
nut Creek bottom on the Jefferson road, at the waterworks pumping 
station, about 4 miles north of Marshall. 

i Dumble, E. T., Kennedy, William, et al., Reports on the iron ore district of east Texas: Second Ann. 
Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1891, p. 72. 



46 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Section at the waterworks pumping station, 4 miles north of Marshall, Tex. 

Feet. 

Quaternary (?): Brown gravelly sand 5 

Claiborne group: 

Laminated iron ore and ferruginous sand 1 \ 

Greenish-yellow altered glauconitic sandstone with casts of 

Venericardia planicosta Lamarck 4 

Wilcox formation: Laminated or thinly stratified red and white 
sands and sandy clays (Queen City sand member) 45 

The record of a well (pp. 243-244) shows that in the foregoing section 
typical sands, clays, and lignites of the Wilcox formation alternate 
for at least 610 feet beneath the Queen City member. 

At Port Caddo Landing on Caddo Lake the Wilcox formation lies 
beneath an indurated ferruginous sand which probably belongs to 
the Claiborne group. The upper member consists of the quartz sand 
characteristic of the upper Wilcox in this portion of the State. The 
lower members carry fossil leaves that indicate a lower Wilcox hori- 
zon. The beds dip slightly to the south. The details follow: 



Section at Port Caddo Landing, Harrison County, Tex. 



Claiborne group (?): Feet. 

Yellow ferruginous sandy clay with streaks of limonite, pass- 
ing into red sand where it has not been leached by ex- 
posure; geodes of limonite inclosing blue marl occur scat- 
tered throughout the mass 35 

Blue shale with ramifications of limonite stains; grades into 
overlying bed when under cover, showing that it represents 
an un weathered phase of that bed. 
Wilcox formation : 

Reddish, nearly pure quartz sands, locally cross-bedded; 
limonite geodes and fossil wood are common 50 

Sands containing water-worn bowlders of clay or of laminated 
clay and sand 10-15 

Interbedded grayish sands and bluish clays; one small lignite 
seam 55-60 

Low-grade lignite, associated with iron ore, ferruginous sand- 
stone, and calcareous concretions. The concretions when 
broken show fossil leaves, among which Knowlton identi- 
fied Salix tabellaris ? Lx.; Magnolia laurifolia ? Lx.; Mag- 
nolia ovalis Lx.; Juglans appressa Lx.; Ficus schimperi 
Lx.; Ficus 2 n. sp.; Cinnamomum affine Lx.; Cinnamomum 
mississippiense Lx.; Laurus or Litssea n. sp.; Juglans ? n. 
sp. ; etc 2 

Thinly laminated bluish clay and sand to water line 13 

Sabine River section. — Along Sabine River, between Logansport 
and Sabinetown, the Wilcox formation is well exposed. 2 The sec- 

1 Vaughan, T. W., Am. Geologist, vol. 16, 1895, p. 308. Partly revised by author. 

2 Veatch, A. C, The geography and geology of the Sabine River: Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana, 1902, 
pp. 121-124. 



SOUTHEASTEKN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 47 

tion differs from the others in exposing well-developed marine de- 
posits carrying characteristic Wilcox fossils. 

Between Logansport and Hamilton on Sabine River lignitic de- 
posits lithologically similar to those of the Wilcox on the Brazos are 
exposed as follows : 

At Logansport, in a small bluff near the railroad bridge, a light- 
colored iron-stained sandy clay lies on top of 3 to 4 feet of dark 
sandy clay carrying limestone concretions. At several points be- 
tween Logansport and Harts Bluff lignitic clays are exposed beneath 
light-colored sands. At the lower end of Harts Bluff, about 15 
miles below Logansport, the following section is shown: 

Section at Harts Bluff. 
Quaternary : Feet. 

White and yellow sand : . 28 

Many-colored chert and quartz pebbles with rolled pieces of 

petrified wood \ 

Wilcox formation: 

High-grade lignite f 

Finely laminated drab-colored clay with lighter sand partings. 1 

Sand \ 

Same as drab-colored clay above, containing at base a layer of 

light-brown claystone concretions 3 

Finely stratified fine white sand 1 

Same as drab-colored clay above 11 

About a mile by river below Harts Bluff, on the Louisiana side, 
a ledge of gray, concretionary, leaf-bearing limestone is exposed at 
water level. A quarter of a mile below this point a few limestone 
concretions outcrop on the Texas side. 

A short distance below the De Soto-Sabine parish line of Louisi- 
ana, a bed of lignite 3 feet thick, dipping N. 70° W. at the rate of 
1 foot in 100, is exposed close to the water level, beneath 15 feet of 
Quaternary material. 

At Myricks- Ferry, about 10 miles in a direct line north of Hamil- 
ton, the following section is exposed : 

Section at Myricks Ferry. 

Feet. 
Quaternary: Unstratified gray and yellow sandy clay, red above; a 

few pebbles at the base; clay weathers into pinnacles; material 

same as that capping Harts Bluff 22 

Wilcox formation : 

Very dark colored clay 3 

Gray sand 2 

Finely laminated dark clay with large calcareous concretions. . 22 

The lower ledges show an eastward dip of 52 feet to the mile. 

About 7 miles in a direct line north of Hamilton a few feet of lig- 
nitic clay shows at the water level. 

Two miles by river below the last point a bluff on the Texas side, 
110 feet high, shows the following section. 



48 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Section 6 miles north of Hamilton, on Sabine River, Shelby County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Unexposed to top of bluff 50 

Wilcox formation: Finely laminated dark lignitic clays with scat- 
tered concretions (JO 

An apparent fault near the center of the bluff is due to a landslip. 

Just above the town of Hamilton a bluff 60 feet high shows 30 feet 
of dark laminated lignitic clays. 

The stratigraphic relations of the beds between Logansport and 
Hamilton are not entirely clear. It is possible that they represent 
a horizon very low in the Wilcox, but it is more probable that they 
represent the palustrine time equivalents of the marine beds of the 
upper Wilcox exposed farther downstream. 

Between Hamilton and Pine Bluff on Sabine River a series of 
lignitic beds and sandstones with leaf-bearing concretions may be 
seen. The details of the sections between Hamilton and the mouth 
of Patroon Bayou follow (PL IV) : 

Section above Chambers Ferry, Sabine River, Sabine County. Tex. 

Feet. 
Unexposed 70 

Wilcox formation: Gray and light-yellow, slightly cross-bedded sand 
with large leaf -bearing calcareous concretions 5G 

About 4 miles below Chambers Ferry in a direct line a small water- 
fall exposes the following: 

Section on Sabine River, 4 miles below Chambers Ferry, Sabine County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Light-yellow sand with fine clay partings 10 

Wilcox formation : 

Blue laminated sandy clay with Anomia sp., Venericardia plani- 

costa 8 

Covered to water level 20 

One-half mile above Morans Landing, on a little point, fossiliferous 
clay is exposed which dip observations indicate to be the same as the 
blue clay of the preceding section. 

About 2 miles above Carters Ferry a low pine-covered bluff shows 
the following section : 

Section on Sabine River, about 2 miles above Carters Ferry, Sabine County, Tex. 

Quaternary: Feet. 

Slightly stratified white and yellow sand 20 

Yellow sand, with chert and quartz pebbles and rolled pieces 

of silicified wood 2 

Wilcox formation: Dark-blue to dirty-yellow laminated sandy clay 
with calcareous concretions 4 

At Carters Ferry a small bluff shows about 15 feet of dark-blue 
laminated nonfossiliferous sandy clay. A ledge of limestone bowl- 
ders extends very nearly across the river a short distance above the 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 49 

ferry. Below the ferry a 6-inch bed of lignite caps the clay. A sec- 
ond bed of calcareous concretions, stratigraphically about 30 feet 
above the first, appears a few hundred yards south of the ferry. 
The lignite bed dips S. 25° W. at the rate of 105 feet to the mile, but 
the second concretion bed shows a dip of only 75 feet to the mile. 

Near the mouth of Patroon Bayou the following section is exposed 
(PL IV) : 

Section near mouth of Patroon Bayou on Sabine River, Sabine County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Sands 12 

Wilcox formation : 

Lignite £ 

Unexposed 15 

Lignite 2 

Dark-blue laminated clay 7 

The apparent dip of the beds is southwest 75 feet to the mile. 

All the beds exposed between Hamilton and the mouth of Patroon 
Bayou dip and lie below that portion of the Wilcox next to be 
described. They apparently correspond to the lower part of the 
Nanafalia formation of the Alabama section. 

Between Pine Bluff, one-fourth mile below Pendleton, and Sabine- 
town, on Sabine River, an exposed series of marine and palustrine 
deposits is referred to the Wilcox formation on the basis of the con- 
tained fossils. These fossils also indicate that these beds correspond 
to the upper part of the Nanafalia, the Tuscahoma, and the Bashi 
formations of Alabama. 1 Prof. G. D. Harris was the first to make 
this correlation. 

The beds may also represent the marine equivalents of some of 
the palustrine Wilcox deposits exposed on the interior. 

The sections follow (PL IV) : 2 

Section at Pine Bluff, one-fourth mile above Pendleton Ferry on Sabine River, Sabine 

County, Tex. 
Wilcox formation: Feet. 

Light-gray to brownish laminated clay 7£ 

Ledge of impure limestone concretions 2\ 

Greenish-brown and light-blue clayey sand, with iron concre- 
tions and fossils 4£ 

Blue joint clay, fossiliferous 2\ 

Limestone concretions, fossiliferous, in dark-gray sand 1 

Dark-gray sand 2 

Stratified lignitic clay 1 

Yellow and gray sand 5 

Wavy alternate layers of blue sand and clay 6 

The apparent dip is 1° 9' W. 

1 Harris, G. D., and Veatch, A. C, A preliminary report on tho geology of Louisiana: Rept. Geol. Survey 
Louisiana, 1899, pp. 299-309. 

2 Idem, pp. 65-66. 

14926°— wsr 835—14 -4 



50 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Section of Pendleton Bluff, above Pendleton Ferry on Sabine River, Sabine County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Red Band 15-20 

Wilcox formation: 

Light-gray and brown laminated clay 5-15 

Ledge of limestone and sandstone concretions 5 

Wavy alternate layers of dark sand and clay 8 

The dip is slightly west. The true dip of the beds exposed in the 
last two sections given is found by calculation to be west of south 
91 feet to the mile. The beds carry such characteristic lower Wilcox 
forms as Pleurotoma silicata, Levifusus indentus, and Natica aperta. 

A series of palustrine strata about 125 feet thick overlying the 
marine deposits is exposed at High Bluff, on the river 4 miles above 
Sabinetown: 1 

Section at High Bluff, on the Louisiana side of Sabine River, 4 miles above Sabinetown, 

Sabine County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Quaternary: Unexposed; shows on surface chert and quartz; gravel 

and large masses of conglomerate 25 

Wilcox formation : 

Laminated, drab to chocolate-colored clays 20 

Unexposed 25 

Cross-bedded yellow sand with thin layers of white clay and 
lines of clay pebbles, the main lines of stratification corre- 
sponding to the general dip of the strata; in places the sands 

form large masses of ferruginous sandstone 44 

Irregularly bedded dark-colored lignitic micaceous sandy clay, 
containing large calcareous concretions 27 

The beds dip S. 15° W. about 105 feet to the mile. So far they 
have yielded no fossils. 

At Sabinetown sandstones and clays, which represent an horizon 
near the top of the Wilcox, lie immediately below the Claiborne 
group and stratigraphically above the beds at High Bluff. Among 
the fossils (which prove the marine origin of the strata) is Kellia 
prima, a form which indicates that the inclosing materials correspond 
to the Bashi formation of Alabama. 

The details of the Sabinetown Bluff section follow: 

1 Veateh, A. C, The geography and geology of the Sabine River: Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana, 1902, 
pp. 124-12.5. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 51 

Section exposed in Sabinetown Bluff on Sabine River, Sabine County, Tex. 

Quaternary: Feet. 

Sands and ferruginous conglomerates 9-16 

Ferruginous sandstone 1 

Wilcox formation : 

Lignitic clay 15 

Yellow sand 25 

More or less alternating shaly lignitic clay and sand; the 
latter weathers to yellow color; the shaly clay is sometimes 

light brown or pinkish 40 

More or less clayey sand, much of it greenish and fossiliferous 

in concretions, with hard layer above 15 

Fossiliferous blue sand with concretions 6 

Brittle shaly drab clay 2 

The dip along the face of the bluff is slight, as the section is very 
nearly along the line of strike. In a little gorge leading into the 
bluff the beds are seen to dip south about 105 feet to the mile. 

The complete section of the Wilcox formation, as exposed along 
Sabine River, and the stratigraphic relations of the beds in the 
different bluffs, is represented graphically on Plate IV (in pocket). 

CLAIBORNE GROUP. 

The Claiborne group of this region is divided into three formations, 
which, from oldest to youngest, are the Mount Selman, the Cook 
Mountain, and the Yegua. 

Mount Selman Formation. 

NAME AND CORRELATION. 

The formation here described was named for Mount Selman, a 
town in Cherokee County, Tex., the name being first applied by Ken- 
nedy in 1892. 1 

Together with the overlying formation (Cook Mountain), it repre- 
sents the time equivalent in Texas of the " Lower Claiborne" 2 or 
St. Maurice formation 3 of Louisiana, as described by Harris; of 
the Tallahatta buhrstone plus the Lisbon marl of Mississippi, as 
described by Crider; 4 and of the Tallahatta plus the Lisbon of 
Alabama, as described by Smith. 5 

1 Kennedy, William, A section from Terrell, Kaufman County, to Sabine Pass on the Gulf of Mexico: 
Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, pp. 52-54. 

2 Harris, G. D., and Veatch, A. C, A preliminary report on the geology of Louisiana: Rept. Geol. 
Survey Louisiana, 1899, pp. 73-89. 

3 Harris, G. D., The lower Tertiaries of Louisiana: Science, new ser., vol. 31, Apr. 1, 1910, p. 502. 

* Crider, A. F., Geology and mineral resources of Mississippi: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 283, 1900, 
pp. 28-33. 

s Smith, E. A., The underground water resources of Alabama: Rept. Geol. Survey Alabama, 1907, 
pp. 17-18. 



52 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

The deposits composing the Mount Selman formation were first 
described by L. C. Johnson ! in 1888, but the first adequate account 
was published in 1895 by Kennedy, who described them in connec- 
tion with the overlying formation under the name " Marine beds." 2 

OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTER. 

The Mount Selman formation lies stratigraphically above the 
Wilcox and beneath the Cook Mountain. Its estimated thickness 
is 350 feet. The formation is composed of palustrinc and marine 
deposits consisting of dark-green and brown sands with thin seams 
of iron ore, lenses of lignite and clay, and beds and concretions of 
limonite. As a whole it is characteristically ferruginous. Beds of 
iron ore of economic value are common. 

In northeast Texas the Mount Selman formation is conspicuous, 
occupying extensive areas in Anderson, Henderson, Cherokee 4 , 
Rusk, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Morris, and Cass counties. Its 
sands constitute an important water-bearing stratum. 

PALEONTOLOGY. 

Fossils, which are not plentiful in the Mount Selman formation, 
occur in the form of casts, chief among which is that of Venericardia 
jilanicosta Lamarck. 

DETAILED SECTIONS. 

Brazos River section. — Along the Brazos the beds exposed between 
the International & Great Northern Railroad bridge near Valley 
Junction in Robertson County and Burleson Bluff or Collier Ferry 
in the northern corner of Burleson County are referred to the Mount 
Selman formation. 

The complete section along the Brazos, with the stratigraphic 
relation of the different bluffs, is indicated graphically on Plate IV. 
The details of the sections follow: 

The section exposed at the International & Great Northern Rail- 
road bridge near Valley Junction has already been given (p. 43). 
In this section the black clay is tentatively considered as representing 
the uppermost beds of the Wilcox, and the greensand marl as repre- 
senting the base of the Claiborne group or Mount Selman formation. 

From this point to 2\ miles below the Burleson County line, a 
distance of about 12 miles by river, the bluffs expose a series of 
interbedded and interlaminated clays and sands with local beds of 
lignite and some few small gray calcareous concretions. 

Trinity River section. — On Trinity River, the beds exposed between 
Wooters Bluff, about 12 miles south of the northern line of Houston 

1 The iron regions of northern Louisiana and eastern Texas: House Ex. Doc., 50th Cong., 1st sess., vol. 
26, No. 195, 1889, pp. 19-21. 
- The Eocene Tertiary east of the Brazos River: Proo. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1895, pp. 108-184. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 53 

County, and Halls Bluff, 5 miles below, are tentatively referred to the 
Mount Selman formation, though they may belong to the Wilcox for- 
mation. In the absence of fossils the correlation can not be definite 

The beds constituting the uplands adjacent to Wooters Bluff con- 
sist of brown sandstones and altered greensands with a few casts of 
fossils. 

At Wooters Bluff, on the Trinity, the following section is exposed : 1 

Section at Wooters Bluff, on Trinity River, Houston County, Tex. 

Mount Selman formation(?): Ft. in. 

Brown and yellowish-brown sand 10-15 

Clay ironstone 1-3 

Dark-gray micaceous clay, weathering brown on outside. 20 

Clay ironstone 1-2 

Dark-blue or bluish-black micaceous clayey sand 2-6 

Five miles below the last-mentioned locality the first undoubted 
outcrop of the Cook Mountain formation appears. 

Cherokee County section. — Between Jacksonville and Bullard, in 
Cherokee County, the Mount Selman formation is typically exposed. 2 

Section exposed between Jacksonville and Bullard, Cherokee County, Tex. 

Quaternary: Feet. 

Gray sand 10 

Brown sand, ferruginous pebbles, and iron ore 15 

Mottled sand 10 

Brownish-yellow sand 4 

Mount Selman formation : 

Brown and yellow sandstone 10 

Alternate strata of iron ore in generally laminated deposits, 2 to 
10 inches thick, and brown sand in layers 1 to 2 feet thick ... 8 

Dark green sand containing casts of small bivalve shells 5 

White clayey sand 1 

Dark-green, nearly black sand, containing thin seams of ferru- 
ginous materials near top, and also containing small fish teeth 

and Venericardia planicosta 12 

Brown sand 10 

White sand 10 

Alternate strata of brown sand 1 to 2 feet thick, and laminated 

iron ore, generally wavy and not more than 2 to 6 inches thick. 20 
Pale-blue and brown clay, mottled in places and laminated in 

others 15 

Alternate strata of altered glauconitic brown sand 6 to 24 inches 
thick, and iron ore, generally irregular, laminated, and silice- 
ous, not exceeding 6 to 12 inches thick 55 

Brown sand forming the surface near Bullard but passing under 
the alternate strata of brown sand and laminated wavy iron 
ore at the base of the hill; altered greensand, changing to 

yellow a few feet underground 40 

Dark -green sand, containing fossil shells and a few shark teeth. 24 

i Kennedy, William, Houston County: Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, p. 18. 
2 Kennedy, William, A section from Terrell, Kaufman County, to Sabine Pass on the Gulf of Mexico: 
Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, p. 53, with verbal modifications. 



54 GE0LOi.\ AM) UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wilcox formation (?): 

Lignite or "black dirt " having the appearance of drift, contain- 
ing pieces of wood, leaves, etc 2 

Dark lignitic clay, jointed in places; the joints are filled with 
glossy lignitic material and sand and are said to contain small 
white shells near bottom 5 

Brown clay at bottom of well near Billiard, dug into 2 

Xear Jacksonville, in beds included in the upper portion of the 
foregoing section, Cassidaria brevidentata Aid., Ostrea sellseformis, and 
Ano?nia ephippioides were found. 1 

At a cutting on the railroad 2 miles south of Mount Selman, in the 
dark-green, nearly black sand of the preceding section, Venericardia 
planicosta Lam., Sphserdla anteproducta Harris, and Corbula aldricM 
var. smith villensis Harris were found. 2 

The occurrence of these fossils at the type locality of the Mount 
Selman definitely fixes the formation as a lower division of the Clai- 
borne group. 

Harrison County section. — That the Mount Selman formation once 
covered the whole of northeast Texas is indicated by the isolated rem- 
nants which rest directly on the underlying Wilcox and now occupy 
the divides. (See PI. I, in pocket.) The section at the Marshall 
pumping station, which shows the relation of the Mount Selman to 
the underlying Wilcox, has already been given (p. 46) . The follow- 
ing section 3 at Hynsons Iron Mountain, 8 miles north of Marshall, 
may be considered characteristic of the formation in this region : 

Section of Mount Selman formation in Hynsons Iron Mountain, 8 miles north of Marshall, 

Tet. 
Mount Selman formation: Feet. 

1. Sands with a little clay, like those exposed at Rusk 

and Ferguson Gap, 1\ miles north of Jacksonville. . . 1-20 

2. Layer of ferruginous sandstone, either shaly or compact . ^-6 

3. Limonite, brown and buff, crumbly -&-1 

4. Compact sand, with layer of shaly sandy rock 20-50 

5. Lignitic, laminated clay, and some plastic clay 1-10 

6. Great beds of sandy clay, easily eroded 100 

7. Stiff laminated clay, dark brown, jointed, about 10 

8. Sandy clay, like No. 6, about 20-50 

9. Sands, easily eroded 80-100 

10. Fossiliferous beds, with Venericardia planicosta on Cy- 
press Creek 10± 

Beneath these fossiliferous beds, as shown by many sections in 
Harrison County, lie beds characteristic of the Wilcox formation. 

i This list of fossils is taken from a catalogue of the Tertiary fossils collected by the Geol. Survey of Texas 
(1889-1892). The determinations were made by Prof. G. D. Harris. The catalogue is now in the possession 
of the University of Texas. 

2 Idem. 

» Johnson, L. C, The iron regions of northern Louisiana and eastern Texas: House Ex. Doc. No. 195, 
1st sess. 50th Cong., vol. 26, 1889, p. 33. 



SOUTHEASTEKN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 55 

Sabine River section. — Along Sabine River from about 2 miles below 
Sabinetown to about 4 miles below the mouth of Bayou Negreet, the 
Mount Selman formation is exposed, overlying the Wilcox and under- 
lying the Cook Mountain. The details of two exposures follow (PI. 
IV): 1 

Section about a mile above the mouth of Low Creek on Sabine River, Sabine County, Tex. 

Quaternary: Feet. 

Gray sand 5 

Gray and yellow unst ratified clay, containing ferruginous gravel . 25 
Unconformity. 
Mount Selman formation: 

Dark-green limestone filled with large grains of greensand ; char- 
acterized by great numbers of Pecten cornuus and crustacean 
remains 5 

Fossiliferous oolitic greensand with occasional spots of green 
clay, weathering red 7 

Ledge of green limestone containing small, rounded greensand 
grains ; weathers red £ 

Fossiliferous green clay with much greensand 10 

The fossils are small and not well preserved. The beds dip S. 50° 
W., at the rate of 88 feet to the mile. 

Section at mouth of Bayou Negreet, Sabine River, Sabine County, Tex. 

Feet. 
Quaternary : Light-gray and yellow sandy clay with gravel at base ... 20 
Mount Selman formation: 

Dark greenish-brown clay with greensand grains; about 4 feet 

from base a harder portion of the bed forms a little terrace. . . 13 
Very fossiliferous indurated green marl, weathering brown; con- 
tains among other species Ostreafalciformis 4 

Hard limestone with many large Venericardia planicosta 2 

Covered (mouth of Bayou Negreet) 20 

Laminated chocolate-colored clay 2 

Hard gray limestone with imperfect shells and bowlders of the 
underlying material; carries Ostrea falciformis; shows large 

masses of coral 3 

Similar to the Mount Selman beds, a mile above the mouth of 
Low Creek on Sabine River, but contains a greater propor- 
tion of clay; more like normal greensand marl. It weathers 
into six distinct shelves because of difference in hardness of 
different portions of the bed 25 

The hard gray limestone near the bottom of the section crosses 
the river at right angles, forming a very marked shoal. The river 
flows against the inclined edges of the strata, which dip 2° 18' S. 
20° W. These sections along the Sabine expose a phase of the 
Mount Selman formation more pronouncedly marine than that in 
Harrison and Cherokee counties. 

1 Veatch, A. C, The geography and geology of the Sabine River: Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana, 1902, 
pp. 127-128. Verbally modified. 



56 GEOLOGY AND UNDEKtiROIND WATEBS OF 



Cook Mountain Formation. 
NAME AND CORRELATION 



The Cook Mountain formation was first so designated by Kennedy 
in 1S92, the name being that of a hill in Houston County, Tex., 
where it is characteristically exposed. 1 As already stated (p. 51), it, 
together with the underlying Mount Selman formation, corresponds 
in time with the "Lower Claiborne" or the St. Maurice formation of 
Louisiana, and with the Tallahatta buhrstone plus the Lisbon marl 
in Mississippi and Alabama. 

The paleontologic similarity of the Texas materials to those ex- 
posed at Claiborne in Alabama was announced as far back as 1852 
by Roemer, the distinguished German geologist. 2 In 1890, Penrose 
described the beds in connection with his so-called " Timber Belt 
beds." 3 In 1892 Kennedy discriminated and described for the first 
time the unit which he called the Cook Mountain, which is the one 
here recognized and called by the same name. 



OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTER. 



The beds composing the Cook Mountain formation lie stratigraph- 
ically and conformably above the Mount Selman formation and 
beneath the Yegua formation. They consist of beds of greensand, 
greensand marl, iron ore, lignites, lignitic clays, and sands. The 
greensands, greensand marls, and iron ores are all highly fossiliferous 
and of marine origin;- the lignites, lignitic clays, and sands are non- 
fossiliferous (except for fossil leaves) and are of palustrine origin. 
The estimated thickness of the formation is 400 feet. The outcrop of 
the formation appears in Robertson, Brazos, Leon, Houston, Ander- 
son, Cherokee, Nacogdoches, San Augustine, and Sabine counties. 
The glauconitic sands and marls, which are the predominant members 
of this formation in east Texas, weather into rod soils and form the 
so-called red lands. 

PALEONTOLOGY. 

The Cook Mountain formation is characterized by certain fossils, 
among which may be mentioned Ostrea sellseformis Conrad, Ostrea 
divaricata Lea, and Anomia ephippioid.es Gabb. (See PL V.) 

DETAILED SECTIONS. 

Brazos River section. — Along the Brazos the beds exposed between 
Burleson Bluff at the old Collier Ferry, 2\ miles below the Burleson 
County line, and the Wellborn Shoals, at the mouth of the Little 
Brazos, belong to the Cook Mountain formation. 

1 Kennedy, William, A section from Terrell, Kaufman County, to Sabine Pass on the Gulf of Mexico: 
Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, pp. 54-57. 

2 Roemer, Ferdinand, Die Kreidebildungen von Texas und ihre organischen Einschlusse, 1nj2, pp. 4-6. 

3 Penrose, R. A. F., jr., A preliminary report on the geology of the Gulf Tertiaries of Texas from the 
Red River to the Rio Grande: First Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1<?90, pp. 22-47. 



(J. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 335 PLATE V 







CHARACTERISTIC FOSSILS OF CLAIBORNE AGE. 



1, 1 a . Ostrea sellaeformis Conrad. 

2, 2 :v . Anomia ephippioides Gabb. 

3. Area vaughani Casey. 

4. Distorsio sepdentata Gabb. 

5. r/Iesalia claibornensis Conrad. 



10, 10" 



6. Cornulina armigera Conrad. 

7, 7 M , 7 1 '. Belosepia ungala Gabb. 

8, 8 :1 , 8 1 '. Paracyathus alternatus Vaughan. 

9, 9 1 , 9 1 '. Paracyathus bellus Vaughan. 

1 '•, 10°. Discotrochus orbignianus Milne 
Edwards and Haime. 



SOUTHEASTEEN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



57 



The following section is exposed at Burleson Bluff : 1 

Section at Burleson Bluff', near Collier Ferry on Brazos River, Burleson County, Tex, 

Feet. 

Quaternary: 1. Brown sand 10 

Cook Mountain formation : 

2. Indurated brown altered greensand § 

3. Brownish -green altered greensand 4-6 

4. Fossiliferous grayish-screen sand 1 0-15 

Formation doubtful: 

5. Dark-blue laminated clay 6-8 

6. Lignite in river 4 

The strata dip S. 72° E. ISO feet to the mile. Beds 3 and 4 carry 
the following fossils : 



Turbinolia pharetra Lea. 

Belosepia ungula Gabb. 

Pleurotoma (Surcula) gabbi Con. 

P. ehildreni Lea var. bitota Harris. 

P. (Clathurella) faunae Harris. 

Cancellaria minuta Harris. 

Olivella bombylis var. burlesonia Harris. 

Plejona petrosa var. indenta (Con.) 

Fusus mortoni var. mortoniopsis Gabb. 

Lapparia pactilis var. mooreana (Gabb) . 

Clavilithes humerosa var. texana Harris. 

C. penrosei Heilprin. 

C. (Papillina) dumosa A'ar. trapaquara 

Harris. 
Latirus moorei (Gabb). 
Pseudoliva vetusta (Con.) var. 
Pyrula (Fusoficula) penita Con. var. 
Calyptraphorus velatus Con. 
Rimella texana Harris. 
R. texana var. plana Harris. 
Turritella sp. 



Solarium scrobieulatum Con. 

S. alveatum Con. 

Trochita sp. 

Natica semilunata var. janthinops Harris. 

N. newtonensis Aid. 

Sigaretus declivis Con. 

Dentalium minutistriatum Gabb. 

D. minutistriatum var. dumblei Harris. 

Plicatula filamentosa Con. 

Pinna sp. 

Byssoarca cuculloides Con. 

Leda opulenta (Con.). 

Cytherea sp. 

C. texacola Harris. 

C.bastropensis Harris. 

Corbula aldrichi var. smithvillensia 

Harris. 
Ostrea sellaeformis var. divaricata Lea. 
Pecten deshayesii Lea. 
Venericardia planicosta Lam. 
V. rotunda Lea. 
V. alticostata var. perantiqua Con.? 



The next exposure is found at Niblitts Shoals, about 1| miles- north 
of Stone City or Moseleys Ferry. The section (see PL IV) shows: 2 

Section at Niblitts Shoals on Brazos River, 1\ miles north of Stone City, Brazos 

County, Tex. 

Quaternary: Feot - 

Bluff loam or river deposits 6 

Brown clay 3 

Yellow sand, with gravel near bottom 10 

Cook Mountain formation : 

Lignite, shaly near top. but becoming compact at base of bed . . 12-14 
Lignitic sand. 

1 Kenned}-, "William, The Eocene Tertiary of Texas east of the Brazos River: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil- 
adelphia, 1895, p. 130. 

2 Kenned j', William, Report on Grimes, Brazos, and Robertson counties: Fourth Ann. Rept. Geol. 
Survey Texas, 1893, p. 56. 



58 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



The next outcrop is found at Moseleys Ferry at Stone City. The 
following section (see PL IV) was observed: 

Section at Moseleys Ferry on Brazos River, Burleson County, Tex. 

Quaternary: Feet. 

1. Yellow randy clay or alluvium L5 

Cook Mountain formation: 

2. Fossiliferoufl iron ore \ 

3. Laminated blue clay, fossiliferous 3 

4. Fossiliferous iron ore 2 

5. Laminated blue clay, fossiliferous G 

6. Fossiliferous iron ore 2 

7. Altered fossiliferous greensand 10 

8. Fossiliferous iron ore 2 

9. Highly fossiliferous greensand, merges into No. 7 5 

10. Laminated blue clay, weathering to brown near top and into 

light blue near bottom; the upper portion is fossiliferous; 
the lower portions carry some crystals of selenite 15 

11. Dark fossiliferous sandy clay 10 

12. Black, clayey sand, jointed, and weathering to brown where 

attacked by water along the joints; no fossils exposed 1 

13. Dark fossiliferous sandy clay, extending into river 8 

This biufT is about 1,500 feet long and from 25 to 30 feet high. 
The beds clip S. 80° E. 180 feet to the mile. With the exception of 
No. 12 all are highly fossiliferous. In the folio whig table column 1 
includes fossils from beds 2, 3, and 4; column 2, from bed 5; column 
3, from beds 6, 7 , and 8; column 4, from bed 9; column 5, from beds 
11 and 13. 

Fossils from Cook Mountain formation at Moseleys Ferry on Brazos River, Tex. 



Species. 



Turbinolia pharetra Lea 

Endopachys maclurei (Lea) 

Belosepia ungula Gabb 

Conus sauridens Con. o X 

Pleurotoraa (Surcula) gabbiCon.a 

P. (Cochlespira) engonata Con X 

P. ( Drillia) nodocarinata Gabb a X 

P. terebriformis Meyer X 

P. (Borsonia)plenta Harris X 

P. (Surcula) moorei Gabb var.a 

P. childreni Lea var. bitota Harris 

Ancilla (Olivula) staminea Con 

Plejona precursor (Dall) X 

P. petrosa (Con.) a X 

Levifusus trabeatoides Harris a X 

Fusus mortoni var. mortoniopsis a Gab!) X 

Latirus moorei (Gabb) a X 

Turricula polita (Gabb) X 

Phos texanus Gabb var 

Pseudouva vetusla (Con.) var.a 

P. vetusta var. carinala (Con.) 

')b 



Neptunea enterogramma Gabt 
Pyrula (FusoQcula) texana Aid. 
Distortio septemdentata Gabb.. 
Tenulscala trapaquara Harris . . . 

Turritella nasuta Gabb a 

T. dumblei Harris 



X 



a Collected by Penrose in 1889 and by Kennedy in 1891 and 1892 and determined by Harris; collected 
by Deussen in 1907 and determined by Vaughan. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 59 

Fossils from Cook Mountain formation at Moseleys Ferry on Brazos River, Tex. — Con. 



Species. 


1 


2 


3 


1 
4 5 


Mesalia claibornensis (Con.) a 


X 
X 
X 


X 








Tuba antiquata a (Con. ) ." 








Solarium acutum var. meekanum Gabb 




X 






S. scrobiculatum Con. b 


X 




Sigaretus declivis Con 


X 
X 
X 

x 

X 








Dentatijim minutistriatum Gabb a 


X 
















Ostrea sellaeformis var. divaricata Lea 








x 


Anomia ephippioides Gabb c 




X 


X 




A. lisbonensis Ald.& 




Byssoarca cuculloides Con 


X 


X 


X 






Leda opulenta (Con.) 






Yoldia claibornensis Aid 




X 
X 






Venericardia planicosta Lam 


X 


X 


X 
X 


x 


V. mooreana Con. b 




Cytherea bastropensis Harris 






X 




C. texacola Harris 


X 
X 


X 


X 




C. tornadonis Harris 




Pteropsis conradi Dana 




X 






Corbula texana Gabb 


X 




X 




Tpllina mnnrpana Gabh. 




X 




1 







o Collected by Penrose in 1889 and by Kennedy in 1891 and 1892 and determined by Harris; collected 
by Deussen in 1907 and determined by Vaughan. 
b Collected by Deussen and determined by Vaughan. 
c Collected by Penrose in 1889 and by Kennedy in 1891 and 1892 and determined by Harris. 

The uppermost beds of the Cook Mountain formation are exposed 
on the Brazos 500 yards south of the mouth of the Little Brazos in 
a bluff near Wellborn Shoals. The section (see PL IV) shows: * 

Section near Wellborn Shoals, Brazos River, Brazos County, Tex. 

Quaternary : Feet. 

1. Black soil 2 

2. Brown loam with limy concretions 25 

3. Fine brownish-yellow sand, with some streaks or pockets of 

gravel 15 

4. Gravel, with water- worn Cretaceous shells 2-4 

Unconformity. 

Cook Mountain formation : 

5. Pale blue, nonfossiliferous clay 5 

6. Dark-green sands, showing fossils in lower portions; form a 

portion of Wellborn Shoals 2-5 

7. Dark laminated fossiliferous sandy clay, running under the 

river 300 yards below mouth of Little Brazos, and forming 
upper portion of shoals 4 

8. Ferruginous sandstones 8 

9. Same as No. 7. 

i Kennedy, William, Report on Grimes, Brazos, and Robertson counties: Fourth Ann. Rept. Geol. 
Survey Texas, 1893, p. 53. Verbally modified. 



oO 



GEOLOGY AND LNDEJUiKOUND \\ ATEKS OE 



The fossils collected a1 this point in beds 6 and 7 include the fol- 
lowing: ' 

Fossils from Cool: Mountain formation in bluff on BtOZOB River, near Wellborn Shoals, 

Brazos County, Tex. 



Terebra houstonia Harris. 

Pleurotoma (Pleurotomella) quassatea 

Harris. 
Levil'usus trabeatoides Harris. 
Phos texanus Gabb. 
Pseudoliva \ etusta var. pica Harris. 
P. vetusta var. clausa Harris. 
P. vetusta (Con.). 
Latirus moorei (Gabb). 



Natica arata Gabb. 

N. semihmata var. janthinops Harris. 
Sigaretus inconstans Aid. 
Trigonarca corbuloides (Con.). 
Nucula magnifica Con. 
Leda opulenta (Con.). 
Cytherea bastropensis Harris. 
Venericardia planicosta Lam. 
Corbula alabamiensis Lea. 



At College station, in Brazos County, two deep wells have been 
drilled, one by the Houston & Texas Central Railroad; the other 
(1892) by the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. In 
the railroad well, lignite was struck at 105 feet, proving that the 
lignitif erous formation of palustrine origin known as the Yegua occurs 
here. In the college well sandstone and shale were the principal 
materials encountered down to 900 feet; between 900 and 1,000 feet, 
a dark-blue fossilif erous clay was penetrated. The following fossils 
from this clay have been identified by Harris: 2 

Fossils from a clay of Claiborne age (either Cook Mountain or Mount Selman formation) 
at 900 to 1,000 feet in a well at College Station, Brazos County, Tex. 



Pleurotoma (Surcula) gabbi Con. 

P. (Drillia) nodocarinata Gabb. 

P. magapsis Harris. 

P. (Borsonia) plenta Aid. 

P. (Mangilia) infans Meyer var. 

Turricula texana Harris. 

Latirus moorei (Gabb). 

Pseudoliva vetusta var. fusiformis(Lea). 

Phos texanus Gabb var. 



Turritella nasuta Gabb. 
T. dumblei Harris. 
Mesalia claibornensis (Con.). 
Natica arata Gabb. 
Trigonarca pulchra (Gabb). 
Dentalium minutistriatum Gabb. 
Venericardia planicosta Lam. 
V. rotunda Lea. 
Corbula alabamiensis Lea. 



This is a typical Claiborne group fauna, and indicates that the beds 
carrying the fossils belong either to the Cook Mountain or to the 
Mount Selman formation. 

Trinity River section. — Along the Trinity the beds exposed between 
Halls Bluff and Alabama Bluff in Houston County belong to the 
Cook Mountain formation. The beds at Halls Bluff are probably 
identical with those at Burleson Bluff on the Brazos. The beds at 
Brookfields Bluff probably represent the lignitic beds at Niblitts 
Shoals on the Brazos, and the beds at Alabama Bluff doubtless 

1 Register of Tertiary fossils collected by the Geol. Survey of Texas and determined by Harris; in pos- 
session of the University of Texas. 
- Idem. 



SOUTHEASTER^ TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 61 

correspond with those in the Moseley Ferry Bluff on the Brazos. 
Details of these sections follow: 

Section at Halls Bluff on Trinity River, Houston County, Tex. 1 

Feet. 

Quaternary: Gravel and sand 25-30 

Cook Mountain formation: 

Fossiliferous sandstone carrying Cerithium vinctum Whitf., 

Ostrea sellseformis var. divaricata Lea, and casts of others 4 

Red sandstone 10 

Yellowish-white sand 2 

Brown clay with gypsum crystals \ 

Yellowish-white sand 5 

Irregular stratum of clay ironstone bowlders f 

Brookfields Bluff, 5 miles below Halls Bluff, shows the following 
section : 

Section at Brookfields Bluff on Trinity River, Houston County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Quaternary : Sand and gravel 20 

Cook Mountain formation : 

Brown sandstone in heavy bed 10 

Clay ironstone 1 

Laminated dark-blue sand and light-gray clays with iron pyrites . 8 

Lignite £ 

Laminated dark-blue sand and light-gray clays with iron pyrites . 5. 

Thin seam of ferruginous sandstone £ 

Laminated dark-blue sand and light-gray clays with iron pyrites; 
beds are darker in lower portion and covered in places with a 
yellow efflorescence of sulphur ; water issuing from these beds 
is sulphurous and the springs show considerable quantities of 

hydrogen sulphide 51 

River level. 

These beds carry no fossils. 

Alabama Bluff, about 10 miles by air line below Brookfields Bluff, 
carries typical Cook Mountain fossils. The section is exposed as 
follows : 2 

Section at Alabama Bluff on Trinity River, Houston County, Tex. 

Quaternary: F eet. 

1. Dark silty and loamy soil i 4 

2. Conglomerate of stained siliceous pebbles and iron ore and 

silicified wood, stained brown 2 

Unconformity. 

Cook Mountain formation: 

3. Fossiliferous greenish-blue clay 4 

4. Greensand altered to a brownish-yellow sand with thin strata 

of ferruginous material interstratified 5-6 

5. Ferruginous sandstone with iron ore 1-2 

6. Fossiliferous greensand and ferruginous material same as No. 5 . 4 

1 Kennedy, William, Houston County: Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, pp. 18-19. 
J Idem, pp. 15-16. 



62 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Tho Cook Mountain beds dip more than 3° S. 20° E. The fossils 
from beds i and 6, listed below, indicate that these beds correspond 
to those at Moselcys Ferry on the Brazos and at Smithville on the 
Colorado. 1 

Fossils from Cook Mountain formation at Alabama Bluff, Houston County, Tex. 



Species 



Turbinolia pharctra Lea 

Belosepia ungula Gabb 

Volvula conradiana Gabb 

Conns sauridens Con 

Pleurotoma (Surcula) gabbii Con. 

P. (Cochlespira) en^onata Con 

P. (Surcula) moorei Gabb 

P. (DriUia) nodocarinata Gabb.. . 

P. heilpriniana Harris 

P. 



S P,-, 



Ancilla (Olivula) staminea (Con.) 

Plejona petrosa (Con.) 

Carricelia demissa var. texana Gabb 

Fusus mortoni var. mortoniopsis Gabb 

Clavilithes penrosei Heilprin 

C. (Pappillina) dumosa var. trapaquara Harris. 

Latirus moorei (Gabb) 

Turricula (Conomitra) texana Harris 

T. polita (Gabb) 

Phos texanus (Gabb) '. 

Pseudoliva vetusta (Con.) var 

Lapparia pactilis var. mooreana (Gabb) 

Distortio septemdentata Gabb 

Cassidaria piano tecta Meyer and Aid 

Turritella nasuta var. houstonia Harris 

T . nasuta Con 

Mesalia claibornensis (Con.) 

Solarium bellastriatum Con 

Natica arata Gabb 

N. limula Con 

N. sp 



Cadulus subcoarcuatus Gabb 

Ostrea sellaeformis var. divaricata Lea 

Anomia ephippioides Gabb 

Plicatula filamentosa Con 

Pinna sp 

Byssoarca cuculloides Con 

Trigonarca pulchra (Gabb) 

T. corbuloides (Con.) 

Leda houstonia Harris 

Eriphyla trapaquara Harris 

Crassatellites texana (Harris) 

Cytherea texacola Harris 

Corbula alabamiensis Lea 

Spirorbis leptostoma Swain 



X 



X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
v 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 



Cherokee County section. — In Cherokee County, between Independ- 
ence, a short distance south of Jacksonville, and Alto, the Cook Moun- 
tain formation is exposed. The details follow: 2 

Section exposed between Independence and Dial, Cherokee County, Tex. 

Feet, 

Cross-bedded sand with nodules of white clay 5 

Cook Mountain formation: 

Altered greensand containing white concretions, thin streaks of 

iron ore, and casts of fossils 80 

Mottled brown and white sand 2 

Thinly laminated blue sand 6 

Thinly stratified or laminated red and white sand and white 
clay (i 

i Kennedy, William, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1895, pp. 119-120. 

2 Kennedy, William, A section from Terrell, Kaufman County, to Sabine Pass on the Gulf of Mexico: 
Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, p. 55. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 63 

Section of Rusk Penitentiary Hill, Cherokee County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Gray 8and 20 

Cook Mountain formation : 

Interstratified laminated ferruginous material, iron ore and 

altered greensand 40 

Laminated or thinly stratified, red and whitish blue sand and 

sandy clay ► 20 

Mottled red and blue sandy clay, probably belonging to and 

forming the lower part of above 25 

Red sand and ferruginous gravel 5 

Brownish stratified sand, mottled in places 60 

Grayish-blue stratified sand in creek 3 

Section exposed at New Birmingham, Cherokee County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Clay ..'. 10 

Cook Mountain formation: 

Micaceous sandstone containing iron 3 

Sandstone § 

Micaceous sand 1 

Altered glauconite containing casts of fossils 6 

Quicksand 1 

Altered glauconite with casts of fossils and thin seams of sand- 
stone near center 21 

Section exposed in the vicinity of Alto, Cherokee County, Tex. 

Feet. 

1. Gray sand 5-20 

2. Ferruginous sandstone 1 

3. Iron pyrites and lignite 1£ 

Cook Mountain formation : 

4. Laminated iron ore and brown sand (altered greensand) 10-15 

5. Fossilif erous altered brown glauconitic sand 6 

6. Yellowish-brown and grayish-brown indurated glauconitic 

sand ; fossilif erous 20 

7. Greensand containing casts of fossils 6 

8. Brown sandstone, altered glauconite with casts of fossils 30 

9. Greensand with gastropods and fish teeth 8 

The beds exposed in the vicinity of Alto occupy the highest position 
stratigraphically in the Cook Mountain formation and correspond 
with the beds exposed at Columbus on the Sabine, at Alabama Bluff 
on the Trinity, at Moseleys Ferry on the Brazos, and at Smithville 
on the Colorado. Beds 5,6, and 9 of the section carry the following 
fossils : l 

i Kennedy, William, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1895, pp. 113-114. 



64 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Fossils found in the Cook Mountain formation in the vicinity of Alto, Cherokee County, 
Tex., in beds 5. 6. and 9 of the foregoing section. 



; pei ie . 



X 



X 



X 



Scutella caput-sinensis Heilpr 

Terebra houstonia Harris 

Conus sauridens Con 

Pleurotoma (Surcula) gabbii Con 

P. (Drillia) nodocarinata Gabb 

Cancellaria panones Harris 

I'lejona petrosa (Con.) 

P. petrosa var. indenta (Con.) 

P. precursor (Dall) 

Caricella subangulata var. cherokeensis Harris 

Clavilithes regexa Harris 

C. ( Papillina) dumosa var. trapaquara Harris 

C. humerosa var. texana Harris 

Latirus moorei (Gabb) 

Phos texanus Gabb var 

Pseudoliva vetusta (Con.) 

Distortio septemdentata Gabb 

Cassidaria brevidentata Aid I . 



X 



Calyptraphorus vclatus Con 

Rimella texana var. plana Harris 

Turritella dutexata Harris 

T. nasuta Gabb 

Mesalia claibornensis (Con.) 

Terebellum sp 

Ceritbium vinctum Whitf 

Solarium acutum var. meekanum Gabb . 

Natica newtonensis Aid 

N. limula var. plana Harris 

Dentalium minutistriatum Gabb 

D. minutistriatum var dumblei Harris. . 
Ostrea sellaeformis var. divaricata Lea. . . 

Anomia epnippioides Gabb 

Plicatula filamentosa Con 

Pecten claibornensis Con 

P. deshayesii Lea 

Pinna sp* 



B yssoarca cuculloides Con 

Tfigonarca pulchra (Gabb) 

Venericardia planicosta Lam 

V. rotunda Lea 

Cras:-atellites texana Heilpr 

Protocardia nicolletti Con. var 

Cytherea texacola Harris 

Corbula texana Harris 

C. aldrichi var. smithvillensis HarrK 

Martesia texana Harris 

Pholadomva claibornensis Aid 



X 



X 



Sabine River section. — On Sabine River the Cook Mountain for- 
mation is exposed from 4 miles below the mouth of Bayou Negreet 
to 3 miles below Columbus. The following sections are exposed: 

Section exposed on Sabine River, 2 miles above Columbus, Sabine County, Tex. 1 

Quaternary: Feet. 

1. Gray and yellow sandy clay, with email ferruginous gravel; 

clayey portion weathers into little pinnacles 20 

Cook Mountain formation: 

2. Bluish-gray laminated clay, with sand partings and some 

patches of sand; ledge of concretions in upper part 11 

3. Bark-green shell limestone, weathering red; carries Area 

rhomboidella £ 

4. Same as No. 2, but much more fossiliferous 4 

Beds 2, 3, and 4 dip southwest. Bed 4 contains a well-preserved 
Cook Mountain fauna. 



1 Veatcb. A. < '.. The geography and geology of the Sabine River: Rept. Oeol. Survey, Louisiana, 1902. 
pp. 129-130. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 65 

Section at Columbus on Sabine River. 1 
Quaternary: Keet. 

1. Fine gray sand, tinged with yellow 8 

2. Pebble conglomerate 2 

Cook Mountain formation: 

3. Drab clay, with small concretions 4 

4. Ledge of fossiliferous dark-gray limestone, with Area rhomboi- 

della, Glycymeris idonea, Plicatula filamentosa 1 

5. Light-green laminated fossiliferous clay 20 

6. Light-green laminated fossiliferous clay, with large numbers of 

Ostrea johnsoni var. and Ostrea falciformis 4 

7. Ledge of calcareous concretions 1 

8. Same as No. 5 3 

Section about 4 miles below the mouth of Bayou Negreet, on Sabine River, Sabine County, 

Tex. 1 

Feet. 

Gray and yellow sands and clays 15 

Cook Mountain formation: 

Very dark gray fossiliferous laminated clay with lines of con- 
cretions; carries a characteristic Cook Mountain fauna; among 
others, Belosepia ungula, Clavilithes penrosei, Cornulina armi- 

gera, Turritella nasuta var. houstonia are found 9 

Covered 3 

Very fossiliferous greensand ; many fossils silicified 2 

Finely laminated bluish-gray 6andy clay with traces of vege- 
table matter , 6 

The beds appear to dip due south. 

Section exposed on Sabine River 3 miles above Columbus, Sabine County, Tex. 1 

Quaternary: Feet. 

Unexposed to top of bank 14 

Pebble conglomerate 2 

Cook Mountain formation: 

Laminated dark-brown clay and yellow sand, containing fossils 
irregularly distributed through the whole mass; Anomia ephip- 
pioides in great number 23 

The Cook Mountain beds dip a little west of south. 

It is difficult to determine the dip of the beds in this bluff because 
of the land slips, but it appears to be a little east of south. 

The uppermost beds of the Cook Mountain are exposed along the 
river 3 miles below Columbus as a small outcrop of fossiliferous marl. 

The complete section along the Sabine is indicated on Plate TV. 

Yegua formation. 
NAME AND CORRELATION. 

In 1892 Dumble recognized the lignitiferous unit here considered 
as a separate formation and applied to it the name Yegua. This same 
lithologic unit was described in Louisiana in 1895 by Vaughan as the 

1 Veatch, A. C, op. cit., pp. 129-130. 

14926°— wsp 335—14 5 



66 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

"Cocksfield Ferry beds." Veatch 1 described the deposits in eastern 
Texas under the name " Cockfield " in 1906. Recent investigation has 
shown that the lithologic unit described by each of these investigators 
is the same throughout and is stratigraphically continuous from west- 
ern Louisiana far into Texas, representing in eastern Texas the time 
equivalents of the "Upper Claiborne" deposits or the Gosport sand of 
Alabama. Tins being so, Dumble's name, which was first used for 
the deposits, has precedence over the others and will be used in the 
present report. 

In his studies on the Coastal Plain of Texas, in 1888 and 1889, 
Penrose discriminated what he called the "Fayette beds," which 
included a series of lignites, clays, and sands at the base, a series of 
sandstones in the center, and a series of calcareous clays at the top. 

Beds belonging to this formation have been described as — 

<Tayette beds. Penrose, R. A. F., jr., A preliminary report on the geology of the 
Gulf Tertiary of Texas from Red River to the Rio Grande: First Ann. Rept. Geol. 
Survey Texas, 1890, pp. 47-58. 

=Yegua formation. Durable, E. T., Report on the brown coal and lignite of Texas; 
character, formation, occurrence, and fuel uses: Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey 
Texas, 1892, pp. 148-154. 

EELufkin or Angelina County deposits (considered to be of Miocene age). Ken- 
nedy, William, A section from Terrell, Kaufman County, to Sabine Pass on the Gulf 
of Mexico: Third Ann. Rept, Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, pp. 58-60. 

<Upper Lignitic. Lerch, Otto, A preliminary report upon the hills of Louisiana: 
Bull. Louisiana Experiment Station, 1893, pt. 2. 

=Cocks£ield Ferry beds. Vaughan, T. W., The stratigraphy of northwestern 
Louisiana: Am. Geologist, vol. 15, 1895, pp. 209-229. 

OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTER. 

The Yegua formation lies stratigraphically and conformably above 
the Cook Mountain formation. It consists of clays, sands, and 
lignites of palus trine and marine origin varying from 375 to 750 feet 
in thickness. The clays are characterized by the fragments and 
concretions of selenite. The formation outcrops in Sabine, San 
Augustine, Angelina, Trinity, Houston, Madison, Grimes, and Brazos 
counties. 

DETAILED SECTIONS. 

Brazos River section. — On the Brazos, beds belonging to the Yegua 
formation are exposed from the mouth of the Little Brazos to south- 
west of Wellborn in Brazos County. The formation, as exposed 
between these two points, consists entirely, so far as known, of 
palustrine and lignitiferous deposits, barren of marine fossils. (See 
PI. IV.) 

1 Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas: 
Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 4G, 190G, pp. 37, 38. 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 33= 




6' 7' 

CHARACTERISTIC FOSSILS OF THE JACKSON FORMATION. 

1, 1». Umbrella planulata Conrad. 4. Mitra millingtoni Conrad. 

2. Haminea grandis Aldrich. 5, 5 a . Levifusus branneri Harris^. 

3. Conorbis alatoides Aldrich. 6, 6 a , 6 b . Aldrichiella elegans Vaughan. 

7, 7 a , 7''. Trochocyathus lunulitiformis var. mon-tgomeriensis Vaughan. 



SOUTHEASTEBN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 67 

Sabine River section. — On Sabine River, beds belonging to the 
formation are exposed from 3 miles below Columbus to a short 
distance below Robertsons Ferry in Sabine County. As displayed 
along this river, the formation is very largely made up of typical 
palustrine deposits. (See PL IV, in pocket.) 

JACKSON FORMATION. 
NAME AND CORRELATION. 

The formation to be described was named by Conrad in 1856 after 
Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, where the beds are character- 
istically exposed. 1 In 1869 Hopkins traced the formation across 
Louisiana as far westward as Red River. 2 Veatch was the first to 
announce the existence of the formation in Texas, which he did in 
1902. 3 

The Jackson formation extends from Angelina River in Texas 
eastward across Louisiana into Mississippi. In Texas materials of 
Jackson age extend much farther west than Angelina River, and have 
been traced as far west as the Brazos. The materials in the region 
of the Brazos, however, are not lithologically similar to those of the 
Jackson formation, and do not belong to that formation, but form a 
part of the Catahoula sandstone, the lithologic unit next to be 
described. 

Eastward from Mississippi (in Alabama) the Jackson formation is 
represented in time by the lower part of the St. Stephens limestone. 4 

OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTER. 

The Jackson formation in eastern Texas lies stratigraphically and 
conformably above the Yegua and beneath the Catahoula. In Texas 
it appears only in the region between Trinity and Sabine rivers, in 
Sabine, San Augustine, and Angelina counties, as a lens of calcareous, 
fossiliferous clays of marine origin, containing large limestone con- 
cretions. Along the Sabine the formation is estimated to be 250 
feet thick, bat it thins rapidly westward and disappears between 
Trinity and Brazos rivers. 

PALEONTOLOGY. 

The Jackson formation is characterized by such fossils as Umbrella 
planulata Conrad, Levifusus branneri Harris, TrocTiocyatus lunuliti- 
formis var. montgomeriensis Vaughan, and others. (See PI. VI.) 

i Conrad, T. A., Observations on the Eocene deposits of Jackson, Mississippi, with descriptions of thirty- 
four new species of shells and corals: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 7, 1856, pp. 257-268. 

2 Hopkins, F. V., First Ann. Rept. Louisiana State Geol. Survey, 1869: Ann. Rept. Board of Super- 
visors Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Mil Acad, for 1869, 1870, pp. 77-109. 

8 Veatch, A. C, The geography and geology of the Sabine River: Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana, 1902, 
pp. 131-132. 

* Smith, E. A., The underground water resources of Alabama: Rept. Geol. Survey Alabama, 1907, p 5. 



68 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

DBTAILBD SECTIONS. 

Sabine River section. — On Sabine River, 1 mile below Robertsons 
Ferry, in Sabine County, highly f ossilif ei ous and calcareous clays and 
marls, carrying large limestone concretions, outcrop, and carry char- 
acteristic Jackson fossils. The following species were determined by 
Harris: Mitra miUingtoni Conrad, Hipponyx americanus Conrad, 
Calyptrea t? j ochifo?mis Lamarck, Ostrea trigonalis Conrad, Area 
{Scapharca) rhomboidella Lea, CrassateUites flexurus Conrad, Cardium 
(Protocardia) nicolletti Conrad, Dione securiformis Conrad, and 
Corbula wailesiana Harris. 

OLIGOCENE SERIES. 
CATAHOULA SANDSTONE (INCLUDING SOME EOCENE). 

NAME AND CORRELATION. 

The lithologic unit here recognized is identical with the lithologic 
unit first described by Dumble in 1892 under the name "Fayette 
division." 1 The name "Fayette" had, however, been previously 
applied by Penrose to a different division 2 and is not considered 
admissible in the present connection. 

Great confusion has existed in Texas regarding the age and corre- 
lation of the unit here recognized. The nonmarine blue quartzites 
exposed at Grand Gulf, Miss., were first described in 1857 by Wailes, 
who called them "Grand Gulf sandstone." 3 These sandstones in 
Mississippi overlie the fossiliferous Vicksburg limestone and are 
there of Oligocene age. 

Later Hilgard applied the name "Grand Gulf" to the group of 
beds exposed in southern Mississippi between the Vicksburg and the 
coast Pliocene ("Orange sand" or "Lafayette"). 4 

In 1869 Hilgard made a geologic reconnaissance in Louisiana and 
incidentally visited some localities in eastern Texas. His observations 
disclosed the fact that the materials which he had referred to his 
"Grand Gulf group" in Mississippi extended across Louisiana into 
eastern Texas. He concluded that the age relations were the same in 
Texas as in Mississippi, and that the beds in Texas were also of post- 
Vicksburg age. 5 

Penrose, working in Texas in 1888, recognized a group of beds 
which he called the "Fayette." 3 This group, which he regarded as 

1 Durable, E. T., Report on the brown coal and lignite of Texas, character, formation, occurrence, and 
fuel uses: Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, pp. 154-157. 

2 Penrose, R. A. F., jr., A preliminary report on the geology of the Gulf Tertiary of Texas from Red 
River to the Rio Grande: First Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1890, pp. 47-58. 

3 Wailes, B. C. L., Agriculture and geology of Mississippi, 1857, pp. 216-219. 

* Hilgard, E. W., Report on the geology and agriculture of the State of Mississippi, 1860, pp. 147-154. 
5 Hilgard, E . W., Summary of results of a late geological reconnaissance of Louisiana: Am. Jour. Sci., 2d 
ser., vol. 48, 1869, pp. 337-338. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 69 

representing the time equivalent in Texas of Hilgard's "Grand Gulf " 
and as being of Miocene age, included the materials here referred to 
the Fleming, Catahoula, and Yegua formations. 

Later Dumble, working in southwestern Texas, discovered that 
materials lithologically similar to the "Grand Gulf sandstone" of 
Wailes carried fossils of Eocene age. He concluded, if his writings 
are here correctly interpreted, that the formation which carried these 
materials (called by him "Fayette") was not stratigraphically con- 
tinuous with the formation which carried these materials in Louisiana 
and Mississippi. 1 

Kennedy, working in eastern Texas, found there the sandstone 
similar to the one that carried the Eocene fossils in southwestern 
Texas. He concluded that the materials in eastern Texas were of the 
same age as those in southwestern Texas. 2 

Veatch, in 1902, noted the occurrence of this group of beds in 
Louisiana, overlying the Vicksburg. He considered it to be of 
middle Oligocene age and considered that the Texas materials (with 
the exception of the basal portion which he assigned correctly to the 
Jackson epoch) were of the same age. 3 

In 1906, in order to provide a definite name for this lithologic unit 
to take the place of "Grand Gulf," which had been used with various 
meanings, Veatch proposed that it be called the Catahoula 4 (after 
Catahoula Parish, in Louisiana, where the formation is typically 
exposed), which is the name adopted in this report. 

The fossiliferous Vicksburg limestone, as developed east of Louisi- 
ana, does not outcrop in Texas, nor has it been found in wells so far 
as known. The investigations of G. C. Matson 5 have shown that the 
Vicksburg limestone of Alabama grades into sandstone toward the 
west. Sandstone replaces the upper part of the Vicksburg in western 
Alabama, more of it in Mississippi, and still more in eastern Louisi- 
ana, and in western Louisiana it replaces the whole Vicksburg and 
even some beds of Jackson age are lithologically similar and apparently 
can not be separated. 

As here interpreted, the Catahoula sandstone is a lithologic and 
stratigraphic unit which transgresses several biologic zones. Stated 
differently, it is conceived to be of different ages, and to have been 
laid down at different epochs in the respective regions of its occur- 

i Dumble, E. T., Geology of southwestern Texas: Trans. Am. Inst. Min. Eng., vol. 33, 1903, p. 922. 

2 Hayes, C W., and Kennedy, William, Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U. S. 
Geol Survey No. 212, 1903, p. 21. 

3 Veatch, A. C, The Geography and Geology of the Sabine River: Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana, 1902, 
pp. 131-132. 

* Veatch, A. O, Geology and underground-water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas, 
Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1906, pp. 42-43. 
a Unpublished notes. 



70 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

rence. In central Texas, in the region of the Brazos, it is largely 
of Jackson age. In eastern Texas it is largely of Vicksburg age. 
According to Matson, the vertical transgression continues across 
Louisiana into Mississippi, where the formation lies above the Vicks- 
burg limestone. 1 



OCCURRENCE AXD CHARACTER. 



The Catahoula sandstone lies stratigraphically and conformably 
above the Jackson formation in eastern Texas and above the Yegua 
formation in central Texas. It lies stratigraphically beneath the 
Fleming clay. 

The formation, which ranges in thickness from 500 to 800 feet, 
consists of a series of gray and blue sandstones, interbedded with 
brown, gray, and green clays, gray sands, and some lignite. The 
sandstones in some places carry marine fossils and in others casts of 
palm leaves and reeds and great quantities of silicified and opalized 
wood. A characteristic feature is the occurrence locally of very 
hard blue quartzites, which, owing to their superior hardness, resist 
weathering better than the adjacent materials and form hills. These 
quartzites pass laterally in very short distances into soft sandstones 
and unconsolidated sands. 

The outcrop appears as a belt of country about 15 miles wide, 
extending east and west across the area and including portions of 
Sabine, Newton, San Augustine, Jasper, Angelina, Tyler, Trinity, 
Polk, Walker, San Jacinto, Montgomery, Grimes, and Brazos counties. 

DETAILED SECTIONS. 

Sabine River section. — On the Sabine, from Anthonys Ferry to near 
Burrs Ferry, the Catahoula sandstone lies exposed on top of clays 
belonging to the Jackson formation. (See PI. IV.) The dip varies 
between 1° 9' and 1° 12'. 

San Augustine County. — Near Caddel in San Augustine County 
the basal part of the Catahoula sandstone is exposed. It carries well- 
defined Jackson fossils. 2 

Tyler County. — At Rockland, Tyler County, the following section 
is shown : 3 

1 Studies made by the author since this report was written seem to indicate that the Catahoula sand- 
stone as here described is not a stratigraphic unit but comprises two formations of similar lithologic 
character, the one at the base being of Jackson age, whereas the upper sandstone is of Oligocene age. 
The name Wellborn was applied by Kennedy to the lower of these two sandstones. 

* Veatch, A. C, The geography and geology of the Sabine River: Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana, 1902, 
p. 131. 

'Kennedy, William, A section from Terrell, Kaufman County, to Sabine Pass on the Gulf of Mexico: 
Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, p. 120. 



SOUTHEASTEKN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN 71 

Section at Rockland, Tex. 

Feet. 

Gray sand and siliceous pebbles 18 

Mottled blue and brown sandy clay 20 

Fleming clay: 

Green sand}'- clay 20 

Brown sandy clay 20 

Pale-blue sand and clay 15 

Dark-blue clay with lime concretions 20 

Dark-gray sandy clay 30 

Catahoula sandstone: 

Gray sandstones, coarse-grained on top, but changing to fine- 
grained blue hard quartzitic stone at base 120 

Polk County. — At Petersville, 4 miles north of Corrigan, Polk 
County, a cut on the Houston, East & West Texas Railway shows a 
gray sandstone, referred to the Catahoula, that carries casts of 
Lemfusushranneri, Mazzalinaxsx. oweni, Calyptraphorus velatus Con., 
Venericardia planicosta Lam., and Corbula alabamiensis Lea. The 
first two are reported by Harris, 1 the others by Kennedy. 2 They 
indicate that the materials are of Jackson age. 

About one-half mile north of Corrigan, along the banks of Bear 
Branch, the sandstones of the Catahoula are well exposed. At this 
particular locality the gray sandstones are well indurated into hard 
stone. 

Three-fourths mile northeast of Corrigan a small quarry exposes 
a ledge 10 feet thick, which well shows the nature of the formation. 
The rock is hard and firm, of uniform appearance and composition, 
and without bedding planes. 

Brazos County. — About 2 miles northwest of Wellborn the follow- 
ing section was obtained: 

Section exposed near head of creek on the Robert Stephenson League, about 2 miles north- 
east of Wellborn, Brazos County, Tex. 
Pleistocene: Feet. 

Gravel consisting of cobbles of milky quartz, jasper, black flint, 
and silicified wood. 
Catahoula sandstone: 

Hard fossiliferous sandstone, carrying Venericardia planicosta 
Lamarck, Cytherea discoidalis Conrad, Corbula alabamiensis 

Lea, and Mactra sp. ? 1\ 

Yegua formation: 

Brown lignitic shale, in places sulphurous and calcareous; 

dips 4° S . 40° E 11 

Soft, flaggy nonfossiliferous calcareous sandstone; very much 
jointed ; exposed 7 

1 Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana, 1902, p. 25. 

2 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1895, p. 97. 



72 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Farther down the creek the hard fossiliferous sandstone of the 
section passes into a nonindurated sand about a foot thick that 
contains no fossils. This sand is underlain by a brown lignitic 
shale, which is apparently the same as the brown lignitic shale of 
the section. Above the sand lies another brown lignitic shale, which 
in turn is covered by a thin veneer of Pleistocene gravel. 

At Wellborn, near the schoolhouse, gray nonfossiliferous sand- 
stones showing streaks of silicified matter resembling roots and twigs 
are exposed. These sandstones overlie those exposed on the Stephen- 
son League. 

On the road between Wellborn and Millicau a compact massive 
green shale is exposed at a small creek. 

At Millican a hard blue semiquartzitic sandstone is quarried. 

Vaughan is of the opinion that the horizon represented by the hard 
fossiliferous sandstone of the section on the Robert Stephenson 
League is probably very low in the Jackson, and if this be so, the 
beds between Wellborn and Millican would represent in part the 
time equivalents of the Jackson formation along the Sabine. 

MIOCENE SERIES. 1 
FLEMING CLAY. 

NAME AND CORRELATION. 

The formation to be considered was named by Kennedy, by whom 
it was first recognized and described, after Fleming, on the Missouri, 
Kansas & Texas Railway in Polk County, Tex., where it is typically 
exposed. 2 This name will be retained in the present report. 

Kennedy at that time considered that his Fleming clays belonged 
to the Miocene, and, as appears from the evidence afforded by fossils 
of brackish-water origin at Burkeville, Newton County, Tex., they 
are of an age not older than Miocene in that region. 

After the manuscript for Mr. Deussen's report was prepared some additional col- 
lections were made from the limestones about 1 to 1£ miles southeast of Burkeville, 
and the fossils were submitted to W. H. Dall for study. He has prepared a paper 
describing the collections from this locality and comparing them with collections 
from well samples obtained on a farm owned by Dr. Simmons and others, about 
8 miles southwest of Alexandria; from samples obtained from one of the wells of the 
Producers Oil Co. at Pine Prairie, La.; and from Satilla River in Georgia. A list 
of the fossils from these localities has been furnished by Mr. Dall and is presented 
here: 

1 As paleontologic studies made after the manuscript of this report was prepared show that deposits 
considered a part of the Fleming clay are not older than Miocene, this formation is referred to the Miocene 
(see subsequent list of fossils), thus introducing a discrepancy between the text of the report and the 
legend of PI. I, which had already been printed. 

2 Kennedy, William, A section from Terrell, Kaufman County, to Sabine Pass on the Gulf of Mexico: 
Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, pp. 62-63. 






SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 73 

Fossils from Burkeville, Tex., Satilla River, Ga., and 8 miles southwest of Alexandria, La. 

[The localities at which the fossils were found are indicated by letters: S, Satilla River; A, Alexandria; 

B, Burkeville.] 



New. 



Pliocene. 



Recent. 



Rangia cuneata Gray. S 

R. cuneata var. solida. S A 

Mulinia lateralis Say. S 

M. sapotilla Dall. A (Pine Prairie) 

Heterodonax alexandra Dall. A 

Mytilopsis sp. A 

Modiolaria lateralis Say? S 

Gemma purpurea Lea. S 

Unio sandrius Dall. A (B?) 

U. alixus Dall. A 

U. musius Dall. A 

Ostrea virginica Gmel. A B S 

Anomia sp. B 

Potamides matsoni Dall. A B (Pine Prairie) 

P. matsoni var. gracilior Dall. A B (Pine Prairie) . 

Cerithiopsis burkevillensis Dall. B 

Pachycheilus anagrammatus Dall. A B 

P. cancelloides Aldrich. S 

P. satillensis Aldrich. SB 

P. suavis Dall. A B (Pine Prairie) 

Turritella satilla Dall. AS 

Isapis obsoleta Dall. A 

Syrnola thelma Dall. A 

Paludestrina plana Aldrich. S 

P. aldrichi Dall. A 

georgiensis Aldrich. S 

satillensis Aldrich. S 

curva Dall. B 

cingulata Dall. A 

turricula Dall. A 

P. milium Dall. A 

Amnicola expansilabris Aldrich. S 

Pyrgulopsis satilla Dall. A 

Neritina sparsilineata Dall. SAB 

Planorbis ophis Dall. A 

P. anti qui tus Aldrich. S 



Total (35 species) . 



29 



Of the 35 species from the three localities 29 are new, and they are described by 
Mr. Dall in a forthcoming paper. Of the remaining species, four have previously been 
described from the Pliocene and five from the Recent. 

At the Satilla River locality 15 species were obtained ; at the locality near Alexandria, 
21 species; at Burkeville 10 species. Only two species are common to all three of 
these localities. One of them is a new species, the other has been described from 
both Pliocene and Recent. In addition two species are common to the Satilla River 
and Alexandria localities; one species is common to the Satilla River and Burkeville 
localities; and four species are common to the Alexandria and Burkeville localities, 
with a fifth doubtfully determined from Burkeville. From Pine Prairie only four 
species were identified, three of them being common to the Alexandria and Burkeville 
localities, and a fourth known only from Alexandria. 

Of the known Pliocene species in this fauna three are found on Satilla River, two are 
found at Alexandria, and one at Burkeville. Of the species previously described from 
the Recent all were obtained on Satilla River and one (Ostrea virginica Gmel.) was 
obtained from both the Alexandria and Burkeville localities. The character of this 
fauna led Mr. Dall to refer it to the Pliocene, and the facts are presented here for 
the purpose of making clear the exact status of our knowledge concerning the stratig- 
raphy of the beds at Burkeville. — G. C. Matson. 



74 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTER. 

The Fleming includes the series of calcareous clays which lie 
stratigraphically above the Catahoula sandstone. 

The formation, which is 200 to 500 feet thick, consists of grayish 
sandy clays with small nodules of lime, thin beds of sandstone, and 
bluish and greenish gray sand with characteristic nodules of lime. 

The outcrop appears as a belt of country, from 2 to 7 miles wide, 
lying south of the Catahoula outcrop east and west across Newton, 
Jasper, Tyler, Polk, San Jacinto, Walker, and Grimes counties. Its 
residual soils are black clays, approaching the type of the " black 
waxy" soils so common in the Cretaceous regions of Texas. These 
" black lands," where not mantled with materials of later age, appear 
as prairie or treeless areas, surrounded by forests. 

DETAILED SECTIONS. 

Sabine River section. — On Sabine River, the Fleming clay is exposed 
in the bluffs between Burrs Ferry and a point east of Burkeville. (See 
PL IV.) 

Neches River section. — On Xeches River, exposures of the formation 
occur between Smith Ferry and a point east of Colmesneil. 

Grimes and Brazos counties. — In Grimes and Brazos counties, along 
Brazos River the Fleming clay is exposed for a short distance north of 
Xavasota. 

DEWITT FORMATION (INCLUDING SOME PLIOCENE). 
NAME AND CORRELATION. 

The name Dewitt is here for the first time applied to the formation 
below described, after Dewitt County in southwest Texas, where the 
beds are well exposed. 

The deposits here recognized have been described by Durable ■ 
as the Oakville, Lapara, and Lagarto beds. It is exceedingly 
difficult to discriminate these divisions in the field in such a way 
that their areal distribution can be satisfactorily mapped, and until 
adequate criteria can be evolved it is considered advisable to treat the 
deposits as one formation. 

The extension of the formation eastward beyond the Trinity and its 
relation to the Miocene and Pliocene beds of this region have not been 
clearly determined. It is probable, however, that the Dewitt formation 
thins out in this direction and is replaced by Miocene and Pliocene 
strata laid down in brackish or marine waters. 2 

1 Dumble, E. T., The Cenozoic deposits of Texas: Jour. Geology, vol. 2, 1S94, pp. 556-560. 
* Studies made after this report was written seem to indicate that what is here called the Dewitt forma- 
tion is represented along the Sabine by the beds described as the Fleming clay. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 75 

OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTER. 

The Dewitt formation lies unconformably below the Lissie gravel. 
It includes all materials of lacustrine and littoral origin deposited on 
the Coastal Plain of Texas during Miocene and early Pliocene time. 
It consists of gray, loosely consolidated, highly calcareous sands and 
sandstones, cross-bedded in places; brown, pink, green, and green- 
brown mottled clays; and conglomerates made up of rounded frag- 
ments of clay. In southwest Texas the clays in places carry den- 
drites of manganese or nodules of lime showing manganese stains. 
The calcareous sandstones and sands commonly He at the base of the 
formation, and the clays and conglomerates predominate at higher 
horizons. The sandstones in places have a semblance of bedding 
but more commonly are without it. 

The maximum thickness at one place is estimated at 1,500 feet. 

The formation appears at the surface in portions of Walker, Mont- 
gomery, Grimes, Harris, and Waller counties. Its outcrop in much of 
the area is obscured by a veneer of Pleistocene materials. The soils 
derived from it are prevailingly black loams and are grass-covered or 
treeless. 

PALEONTOLOGY. 

No marine fossils occur in the formation, but fossil land vertebrates 
may be found at a number of places. Among the latter may be men- 
tioned the rhinoceros Aceratherium. 

DETAILED SECTIONS. 

East of Brazos River. — In the region east of the Brazos the forma- 
tion is almost completely hidden beneath the extensive Pleistocene 
materials. A cut on the Houston & Texas Central Railroad about 5 
miles south of Navasota shows 8 feet of highly cross-bedded sands 
belonging to this formation; and a small creek about 3 miles south of 
Courtney, Grimes County, exposes it as a green calcareous clay 
weathering into a black soil, between uplands capped with Pleistocene 
gravel. 

West of Brazos River. — West and south of the Brazos, numerous 
exposures of the Dewitt formation may be seen. 

In Washington County immediately west of the Brazos in the 
vicinity of Burton, gray calcareous sandstones and clays belonging 
to the formation occur. A jawbone and teeth of Aceratherium, a 
Miocene rhinoceros, has been taken from the clays exposed in this 
region. 

Shumard reported the occurrence of Miocene strata in the Coastal 
Plain as far back as 1860. In a letter dated October 2, 1860, he 
wrote : 1 

i Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis, vol. 2, 1868, pp. 140-141. 



76 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Not among the least important results of the survey is the discovery in Washington 
and adjoining [Texas] counties of an extensive development of Miocene Tertiary 
strata, referable to the age of Miocene deposits of the mauvaises terres of Nebraska, 
which have yielded such a wonderful profusion of extinct mammalian and chelonian 
remains. The Texan strata consist of calcareous and siliceous sandstones, and white, 
pinkish, and grayish siliceous and calcareous marls. The calcareous beds are often 
almost wholly composed of finely comminuted and water-worn shells, chiefly derived 
from the destruction of the Cretaceous strata, and in places abound in fossil bones and 
plants, usually in a fine state of preservation. The bones have usually been found in 
excavations for wells, at depths varying from 20 to 60 feet below the surface, and con- 
sist of genera closely allied to or identical with Titanotherium, Rhinoceros, Equus, and 
Crocodilus. Among the plants are several species of palms, a fine collection of which 
has been made by Dr. Gideon Lincecum, of Long Point, Washington County, and by 
him presented to the State cabinet. 

MARINE MIOCENE (PROBABLY INCLUDING SOME EARLY PLIOCENE). 

GENERAL CHARACTER. 

While the materials of the Dewitt formation were being deposited 
in lakes or deltas near the shore, extensive sands and clays were being 
accumulated in the adjacent sea. These deposits, preserved as an eco- 
nomically important group of strata beneath the present coast prairies 
of Texas, are characterized by marine fossils of Miocene and probably 
early Pliocene age. So far as known these marine beds do not outcrop 
in Texas, but they are found in all wells within about 60 miles of the 
coast and they appear to come to the surface in Louisiana and the 
States to the east. 

Data afforded by wells show that these marine Miocene beds are 
not less than 813 feet thick and dip southeast 10 to 20 feet to the 
mile. 

DETAILS OF OCCURRENCE. 

At Hockley, in Harris County, in the Higgins well No. 1, a cal- 
careous sandstone, which upon analysis showed 60.26 per cent of silica 
and 21.42 per cent of calcium oxide, was entered at a depth of 14 feet. 
Down to 730 feet the chief material penetrated was sandstone. 
Shark teeth, found in a bed of shale passed through at 300 feet, were 
submitted to Dr. L. Hussakof, of the American Museum of Natural 
History, New York, who reported on them as follows: 

The shark teeth are identical or very close to Oxyrhina minuta Agassiz, a lower Mio- 
cene (Europe), and ? upper Eocene (North Carolina) species. The other teeth repre- 
sent the teleoston genus Sphyrsena, which ranges from Eocene to modern times. 

As it is highly improbable that Eocene beds were entered at a 
depth of 300 feet in this well, a Miocene horizon is inferred, and this 
would place these beds between the surface and 300 feet in the 
marine Miocene. 

At Galveston, in 1891-92, a well 3,070 in depth disclosed, from 
2,158 to 2,920 feet, beds of Miocene age which include green clays; 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 77 

indurated fine gray sands; dark-colored clays with lignitized wood 
and fruits, corals, fish vertebrae, and marine fossils; sandy clays, shell 
conglomerates, and blue clays with lime nodules. Among the nu- 
merous fossils were Area carolinensis, Turritella subgrundifera var., 
Chione sp. ?, Terebra n. sp., and Natica eminuloides, which prove the 
age of the inclosing materials to be Miocene. 1 For a complete record 
of this well see pages 166-169. 

At Batson, in Hardin County, Tex., in the Gilbert well No. 10, at 
a depth of 323 feet, marine Miocene beds are proved by the fossils to 
have been entered. The fossils, as determined by Dall, are as fol- 
lows: Olivella mutica Say, Nassa acuta Say, Utriculus canaliculatus 
Say, Pecten fragments, Area transversa Say (young), Area fragments 
(adamsif Smith), Solen fragments, Dosinia (very young), Mulinia 
lateralis Say (young), Corbula galvestonensis Harris, Balanus frag- 
ments, and bryozoan fragments. 

At Bryan Heights, near Velasco, a sample from a depth of 649 to 
688 feet contained organic remains not older than upper Miocene, 2 in- 
dicating that the marine Miocene lies more than 688 feet below the 
surface at this place. 

At Saratoga, in Hardin County, according to information furnished 
by Dumble, Miocene fossils have been taken from oil-bearing sand 
at a depth of 1,140 to 1,154 feet. 

PLIOCENE SERIES. 

UVALDE FORMATION. 

NAME AND CORRELATION. 

The formation here recognized will be called the Uvalde, having 
been originally described under that name by Hill. 3 It is named 
after Uvalde County in southwest Texas, where it is well displayed. 

So far as known the marine time equivalents of this formation have 
not been found beneath the Coast Prairie, and it is extremely doubt- 
ful if they exist there. To find them would probably require a search 
on the Gulf floor a considerable distance beyond the present shore 
line. 

OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTER. 

The formations heretofore described represent deposits laid down 
in the sea or in swamps and lakes close to the shore. The Uvalde and 
a number of the more recent formations of the Coastal Plain have, 
however, been formed primarily by streams and may be described as 
fluviatile and alluvial. 

1 Harris, G. D., Preliminary report on the organic remains obtained from the deep well at Galveston 
together with conclusions respecting the age of the various formations penetrated: Fourth Ann. Rept. 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1893, p. 118. 

2 Fenneman, N. M., Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 
282, 1906, p. 14. 

■ Hill, R. T., Notes on the geology of the Southwest: Am. Geologist, vol. 7, 1891, pp. 367-368. 



78 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

The Uvalde formation is the oldest and earliest of the fluviatile or 
alluvial formations in the Texas Coastal Plain. It was probably 
deposited in late Pliocene times after deposition of the Dewitt and 
the marine Miocene and lower Pliocene, and it represents the work of 
the gradational agents during the late Pliocene erosion epoch. 

The formation, which ranges in thickness from a few inches to 100 
feet, consists of flint and limestone gravel embedded in a limy clay 
matrix. 

Along the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary it lies 350 feet above the 
level of the present channels of the adjacent major streams. In the 
region west of the Tertiary area it appears as a terrace material, form- 
ing the uppermost terraces of the major streams, such as the Brazos 
and the Red. Downstream it passes into an interstream phase, 
which appears as a gravel capping the divides between the major 
streams and lying unconformably on the underlying Cretaceous and 
Eocene formations. The transition from the terrace phase to the 
interstream phase takes place roughly along the Cretaceous-Tertiary 
contact, winch is in these parts largely obscured by the gravels. On 
the divides, a short distance south of the contact, the gravels disap- 
pear. 

The Uvalde formation, therefore, appears only in the interior of the 
Coastal Plain; within the area covered by this report it appears only 
as a thin veneer mantling the interstream areas along the western 
margin. Between Brazos and Red rivers it is not very extensively 
developed, but south of the Brazos it is very conspicuous. It weathers 
into a fertile black gravelly clay soil. Areas of it are generally tree- 
less and appear as prairies. 

Owing to the irregular distribution and the comparative insignifi- 
cance of the formation in the water-supply problems of the area cov- 
ered by this report, no attempt has been made to indicate its areal 
extent on the map. 

QUA TERN A RY SYS TEM. 

PLEISTOCENE SERIES. 

LISSIE GRAVEL. 
NAME AND CORRELATION. 

The lithologic unit now to be described is called the Lissie gravel 
after the town of Lissie, in Wharton County, Tex., where it typically 
occurs. 

As here interpreted, the Lissie gravel represents the time equiva- 
lents of the middle and of the lower part (or gravel portion) of the 
lowest of the three Pleistocene terraces described on pages 82-83. 

The Lissie gravel is believed to represent the coalescing alluvial 
fans which were spread out at the mouths of the valleys of the 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 79 

streams which discharged into the sea during some parts of Pleistocene 
time, possibly the early and middle parts. It is further believed that 
the gravel was later elevated and eroded, proof being found in the 
fact that terraces which grade laterally into the lower or interior 
part of this gravel lie 50 to 70 feet above the lowest of the Pleistocene 
terraces, whereas the lowest Pleistocene terraces grade into the upper 
part of the gravel and into the Beaumont clay. Furthermore, a few 
isolated unconformities are exposed in the southwest. Following 
this erosion epoch came a depression of the land and an invasion of 
the sea, in a later portion of Pleistocene time, submerging in part the 
area occupied by gravel. On the floor of this Pleistocene sea, on 
top of the eroded gravels, was spread unconformably another layer of 
gravel, similar in composition and consisting in part of reworked and 
eroded products of the first layer. With the gradual deepening of 
the sea and the lessening gradients of the streams, deposition of 
gravel ceased and in place of it was formed a deposit of silt, sand, 
and clay to which has been given the name Beaumont clay. 

Lissie gravel, therefore, as used in this report, includes all the 
gravels, these being characterized by more or less uniform lithologic 
composition, albeit separated by an unconformity into lower and 
upper portions. 

OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTER. 

The Lissie gravel lies stratigraphically above the Dewitt forma- 
tion; or where the Dewitt is replaced seaward by the marine Miocene 
beds, the Lissie rests directly on the latter. It lies stratigraphically 
below the Beaumont clay. 

In lithologic character the Lissie gravel is variable, the variation 
being determined by differences in the nature of the materials com- 
posing the several drainage areas from which the debris now com- 
posing it was derived. In places it consists of gravels and conglomer- 
ates of granitic origin derived from rocks such as quartz, jasper, 
flint, limestone, and greenstone; in other places it consists of gravels 
and conglomerates of limestone origin; and in still others it consists 
of mottled sands and silts containing ferruginous pebbles and concre- 
tions. For example, in the southwest, where the formations crossed 
by the streams consist chiefly of limestone, and where, in conse- 
quence, most of the material carried by the streams is limestone 
debris, the formation consists chiefly of limy conglomerates and 
adobe. In the Colorado drainage basin, where granitic areas have 
been subjected to erosion, the Lissie gravel consists entirely of 
gravels, conglomerates, and coarse sands of granitic origin. In the 
eastern region, where the areas drained are largely made up of red 
clays and ferruginous sands and iron ores, the formation consists 
largely of ferruginous sands, silts, and conglomerates. 



80 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Well records indicate that the Lissie gravel does not exceed 900 
feet in thickness at any point on the Coastal Plain. Along the 
Lissie-Beauinont boundary line it is improbable that the Lissie 
exceeds 600 feet in thickness, and 30 to 50 miles farther north it has 
thinned to a mere veneer. 

The outcrop of the gravel parallels the coast, occupying portions 
of Newton, Jasper, Tyler, Plardin, Polk, Liberty, San Jacinto, Mont- 
gomery, Waller, Harris, and Fort Bend counties. It forms a nearly 
level to rolling plain, prevailingly timbered east of the Brazos, but 
treeless and grass-covered between the Brazos and the Colorado. 
The soils are largely reddish-brown or gray silts and fine sands. 

The Lissie gravel constitutes one of the most important water- 
bearing reservoirs of the Coastal Plain, appearing in every well in the 
coast prairies. For example, at Spindletop it was met at 120 feet 
in the Higgins well Xo. 2 and at 245 feet in the Higgins well No. 1. 
In the Bryan Heights well near Velasco it was met at 735 feet. 

PALEONTOLOGY. 

Vertebrate fossils of Pleistocene age, among them Equus, Elephas, 
and Megalonyx, occur in this gravel at a number of places. 

DETAILS OF OCCURRENCE. 

Four miles north of Brookshire, Waller County, a well belonging 
to C. Wilson shows the following section: 

Section of well 4 miles north of Brookshire, Tex. 

Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Red clay (?) 52 

Sand and gravel, water bearing 25 

Clay 23 

Sand and gravel, water bearing 37 

From the sands and gravels in the bottom of this well, teeth of 
fossil Equus of Pleistocene age were taken. 

At Kirbyville, Jasper County, in a cut on the railroad south of 
the depot, 6 feet of pink mottled sandy clay containing small brown 
pebbles or concretions is referred to this formation. Similar sec- 
tions occur throughout the area of the Lissie gravel. 

BEAUMONT CLAY. 
NAME. 

The lithologic unit described below has been called by Kennedy 1 
the Beaumont clay, and this name is used in the present report. 

i Hayes, C W, and Kennedy, William, Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. 
U. S. GeoL Survey No. 212, 1903, pp. 27-29. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 81 

OCCURRENCE AND CHARACTER. 

The Beaumont clay lies stratigraphically above the Lissie gravel 
and below the Recent series. It consists of blue, in places reddish 
calcareous clay, containing numerous lime concretions about an inch 
in diameter, and some local lenses of sand and sandy clay. Well 
records indicate that it does not exceed 800 feet in thickness at any 
place. 

The Beaumont clay outcrops in Orange, Jefferson, Hardin, Liberty, 
Chambers, Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend, and Brazoria counties, and 
it forms the substratum of the level, treeless coast prairies. (See 
p. 16.) The black clay soils derived from it are extremely fertile 
and in east Texas are well adapted to rice culture. The Beaumont 
clay also serves as an impervious stratum to confine the water in the 
porous Lissie gravel and is thus an important factor in the numerous 
artesian wells of the coast prairie region. 

PALEONTOLOGY. 

The clays of this formation carry in places fossils of Pleistocene age, 
among which is Rangia cuneata. Embedded logs are common. 

PLEISTOCENE TERRACE DEPOSITS. 

In Pleistocene time, in addition to the Lissie gravel and the Beau- 
mont clay, which were deposited adjacent to the coast, there were 
deposited in the valleys of the major streams a series of terraces, 
which may be classified according to their relative topographic 
positions. Three terraces may be discriminated, the highest being 
the oldest. Each terrace grades laterally into an interstream phase, 
the Lissie gravel and the Beaumont clay representing the interstream 
phases of the middle and lowest. 

HIGHEST PLEISTOCENE TERRACE. 

The highest Pleistocene terrace north and west of the Yegua-Cook 
Mountain boundary lies 200 to 225 feet above the level of the adja- 
cent major stream channels. It has been previously described by 
Hill and Vaughan 1 as the Asylum group or Asylum terraces of Colo- 
rado River in Texas. 

In some drainage areas the materials consist of gravels of granitic 
origin; in others of ferruginous sands and conglomerates, sandy clays, 
and silts with fragments of iron ore; in still others of limestone debris 
cemented into a conglomerate by lime. 

i Hill, R. T., and Vaughan, T. W., Geology of the Edwards Plateau and Rio Grande Plain adjacent to 
Austin and San Antonio, Tex., with reference to the occurrence of underground waters: Eighteenth Ann. 
Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 2, 1898, p. 249. 

14926°— wsp 335—14—^6 



82 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Over the area of the outcrop of the Yegua, this terrace grades 
laterally into an interstream or upland phase, veneering the older 
Tertiary formations. South and east of the Yegua outcrop the 
deposits thin and disappear, the country between the interstream 
phase and the outcrop of the Lissie not being mantled by Quaternary 
deposits. Thus far no marine, palustrine, or lacustrine time equiva- 
lents of this terrace have been recognized in the materials embedded 
beneath the Coast Prairie, and it is improbable that such will be 
found there, though they doubtless exist beneath the sea. 

In Brazos County, on the uplands in the vicinity of Wellborn, the 
interstream phase of this terrace deposit is well displayed as a veneer 
of gravel composed of quartz, jasper, black flint, and silicified wood. 

In Houston County the same materials are extensively developed 
as a gravel covering a ridge extending southeast across the county 
from Brookfield Bluff on Trinity River on the west to the Trinity 
County line on the east. 1 

Owing to the irregular distribution and relative unimportance of 
this terrace deposit in water-supply problems, no attempt has been 
made to map it. 

MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE TERRACE. 

The middle Pleistocene terrace lies topographically below the 
highest Pleistocene terrace. North of a line extending from Sealy in 
Austin County, through Spring in Harris County, Kountze in Hardin 
County, to Buna in Jasper County and beyond, it occupies levels 
100 to 140 feet above the channels of the adjacent major streams. 
It has been previously described under the name Capitol Terrace of 
Colorado River by Hill and Vaughan. 2 

The materials vary in lithologic character according to the nature 
of the deposits composing the drainage areas from which they have 
been derived. Some are gravels and conglomerates of granitic 
origin; others are gravels and conglomerates of limestone origin; and 
still others are mottled sands carrying ferruginous pebbles and con- 
cretions. 

The terrace grades laterally without break into the basal portion 
of the Lissie gravel and is considered to be its time equivalent. 

Near Hidalgo Falls, on Brazos River, the near-by hills flanking 
the main valley are composed of beds belonging to the Dewitt for- 
mation, capped by a pebbly deposit cemented by ferruginous matter 
into a coarse conglomerate. From this conglomerate, which is 
referred to the middle terrace, have been collected fossil bones of 
Mastodon, Elephas, Megalonyx, Equus, Crocodilus, and Testudo of 
Pleistocene age. 3 

i Kennedy, William, Houston County: Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, p. 14. 

* Hill, R. T., and Vaughan, T. W.,op. cit., pp. 249-250. 

» Shumard, B. F., Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis, vol. 2, 1868, pp. 140-141. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 83 



LOWEST PLEISTOCENE TERRACE. 



The lowest of the Pleistocene terraces lies topographically below 
the middle Pleistocene terrace, and 40 to 70 feet above the channels 
of the major streams adjacent. It has been previously described 
by Hill as the Depot Group of terraces on Colorado River. 1 

The terrace consists of red, brown, yellow, or dark sandy, and 
in places calcareous clay, loam, or silt, resting on a gravel foundation. 
The red and brown silts and loams rest on gravel of granitic origin, 
in places cemented by iron into a ferruginous conglomerate. The 
dark or yellow calcareous silts and loams rest on limy conglomerates or 
gravels of limestone origin. 

South and east of a line 50 to 70 miles from the coast the lowest 
Pleistocene terrace grades laterally into an interstream phase, repre- 
sented by the upper part of the Lissie gravel and the whole of the 
Beaumont clay. 

This terrace is more extensive than any other displayed in the 
valleys — fortunately so, for whereas the other gravel terraces are 
commonly unfit for cultivation, this lowest Pleistocene terrace is 
characterized by extremely fertile soils, which are widely cultivated. 
Much of the so-called Brazos bottom lies on this terrace. In addition, 
the porous gravel beneath the clays and silts constitutes an important 
water horizon, and renders this terrace in marked degree adapted for 
habitation by man. 

RECENT SERIES. 

Fringing the coast and constituting the bottom lands in the area 
(PI. I) isaseiies of deposits that lie stratigraphically above all the forma- 
tions previously described, having been laid down during the present 
geologic epoch — that is, since sea and land have attained practically 
their present relations. These deposits, even now in process of accu- 
mulation, constitute the Recent series. 

Along all the larger streams this material constitutes the alluvium 
now occupying the flood plains. Along the Brazos it consists of red 
sandy clay, derived, during times of flood, from the "Red Beds" 
far in the interior; and along the Trinity it consists chiefly of sand 
derived, during high water, from Cretaceous formations. 

Along the coast, east of Galveston Bay, many sluggish . bayous, 
responsive to tidal influence, wind through marshes, in which fine 
silt or clay is now being deposited and in which, in places, bluffs 
made up of shells of a mollusk {Rangia cuneata) are exposed. 
Grigsbys Bluff on Neches River is typical. 

Between the coast marshes and the Gulf a narrow, new-formed, 
wave-built key extends, protecting the marshes against the waters of 

* Hill, R. T., Geography and geology of the Black and Grand prairies, Texas, etc.: Twenty-first Ann. 
Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 7, 1901, p. 352. 



84 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

the Gulf. It consists of sand, through which are scattered a great 
number of Recent shells. 

The submerged portion of the Coastal Plain is likewise mantled 
with materials referable to the Recent series. Lens-shaped deposits 
of hard blue clay and soft mud occur, through which banks of coarse 
and fine gray sand and broken shells are irregularly interspersed. 
The Sabine Bank is made up of gray sand with black specks and 
broken shells. Sands appear to form the heaviest deposits at present 
adjacent to the shore. 

STRUCTURE. 
GENERAL FEATURES. 

The formations of the Texas Coastal Plain have, in the area, a char- 
acteristic dip to the southeast or toward the Gulf. This dip, which 
ranges from practically nothing to 200 feet per mile, has been caused 
by the gradual elevation of the interior part of the old Cretaceous 
plain to a position at least 500 feet above the level occupied by it at the 
beginning of the Tertiary period. 

The relation of one formation to another is indicated in the 
structure sections accompanying the geologic map. (See PI. I, in 
pocket.) Toward the interior successively older rocks outcrop, the 
formation lowest in the geologic column having the highest topo- 
graphic exposure. Such a structure is characteristic of coastal 
plains and is ideal for artesian water. Rain falling on the outcrop is 
conducted by the porous beds to great depths beneath the surface 
and becomes available as an uncontaminated water supply to people 
far coastward of the outcrop. 

DOMES. 

The existence of the so-called domes on the Coastal Plain has 
already been noted (p. 19). (See fig. 6.) Belonging to this type are 
Spindletop, in Jefferson County (structure section B-B', PL I, in 
pocket); Kiser Mound, in Brazoria County; Grand Saline, in Van 
Zandt County; and Steen Dome, in Smith County; all of which are 
proved by the drill and fossils to be hills of slight deformation (qua- 
quaversal folds) involving at least all the pre-Recent sediments. 
Their origin is undetermined. One theory holds that they were 
forced up by the intrusion of volcanic plugs; another, that they were 
produced by the upward pressure of artesian waters escaping from 
great depths along fault planes; a third, that they were caused by 
the crystallizing of salt nuclei, which form when hot waters from 
great depths ascend along fault planes and cool. Commonly these 
domes are associated with oil and are channels of vertical circulation, 
permitting salt water to rise from considerable depths. In them 
salt water is always encountered much nearer the surface than in 
the surrounding strata. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



85 



ANGELINA-CALDWELL FLEXURE. 



A low monoclinal flexure (fig. 6) extending across the State of 
Louisiana and westward through Sabine, San Augustine, Angelina, 




LEGEND 
l0 » Domes or mounds 



Fault or flexure line 
exposed at the surface 



Hypothetical fault 
line ; not exposed 
at the surface 



Figtjre 6.— Principal structural features of the Texas Coastal Plain. 



1. Red River fault. 

2. Cooks Springs-Caddo fault and 

flexure. 

3. Angelina-Caldwell monoclinal 

flexure. 

4. Grand Saline Mound. 

5. Steen Dome. 

6. Brook's Dome. 

7. Anderson Dome. 



8. Graham's Saline. 

9. Davis Hill. 

10. Humble. 

11. Blue Ridge. 

12. Damon Mound. 

13. Big Hill. 

14. Kiser Mound. 

15. Dayton. 

16. Big Hill. 



17. Batson. 

18. Saratoga. 

19. Sour Lake. 

20. Barber's Hill. 

21. Hoskins Mound. 

22. Bryan Heights. 

23. High Island. 

24. Big Hill. 

25. Spindle top. 



and Trinity counties, Tex., reduces the dip between Hattens Ferry 
and Burrs Ferry on Sabine River from 150 to 30 feet to the mile. 
(See section B-B', PI. I, in pocket.) 



86 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

This fold began to develop in Tertiary time, and is still a line of 
weakness. Recent movements along its west end have produced a 
series of shoals on Sabine River and have literally thrown up a ridge 
across Angelina River, converting the land on the north side into a 
swamp and causing the river on the south side to flow in a channel 
with steep banks. 1 

This flexure, like the others described below, is possibly due to the 
loading of the sea bottom, causing it gradually to subside, while the 
plain beyond remained stationary. 

COOKS SPRINGS-CADDO FAULT AND FLEXURE. 

From Pottsboro and Cooks Springs in Grayson County to Savoy 
in Fannin County, Tex., a well-defined fault extends. At Vivian, in 
Caddo Parish, La., a well-defined fold is visible. The passage of the 
Cooks Springs-Savoy fault into the fold in Caddo Parish is inferred, 
and this line of faulting and flexing will be called the Cooks Springs- 
Caddo fault and flexure. 

MINOR FLEXURES. 

Additional lines of flexing and faulting in the Coastal Plain are 
inferred from the deposits of oil, salt, and gas, and from the evidence 
of fossils. At Sour Lake, for instance, Jackson fossils were taken at 
a depth of 1,500 feet from a well furnishing hot water, thereby 
showing vertical circulation. Four miles southeast a 1,900-foot 
well, which furnished only warm water, yielded a Miocene or Oligo- 
cene fauna, showing either a remarkable dip in this direction or a 
fault. 2 These flexures are, however, buried beneath deposits of 
later age and have no surface exposure. (See section A-A f , PI. I, 
in pocket.) The domes above described are probably associated with 
these lines of structural weakness. Their approximate location is 
indicated on figure 6, but their existence will not be absolutely 
proved nor their exact location determined until accurate records 
and fossils from deep wells are available. Their importance in 
connection with artesian water lies in the possibilities for the vertical 
rise of salt water they may afford. 

SABINE UPLIFT. 

Harris regards the area adjacent to Sabine River, between Sabine- 
town on the south and Caddo Lake on the north, Nacogdoches on the 
southwest and Bistineau in Louisiana on the northeast, as a large 
uplifted block, which he calls the Sabine uplift. 3 

* Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas: 
Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 4ft, 1906, p. 68. 

• Harris, O. D., Rock salt: its origin, geological occurrences, and economic importance in the State of 
Louisiana, together with brief notes and references to all known salt deposits and industries of the world: 
Bull. Geol. Survey Louisiana No. 7, 1908, pp. 65-66. 

8 Idem, pp. 79-80. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 87 

The existence of the Angelina-Caldwell flexure on the south and of 
the Cooks Springs-Caddo flexure on the north; the occurrence of oil 
in Nacogdoches County, Tex., on the southwest and of several saline 
domes on the northeast; and the absence of the marine phase of the 
Cook Mountain formation in the area, though it is present on the 
southwest, southeast, and northeast, constitute the evidence sup- 
porting this theory of uplift. 

HYDROLOGY. 

DEFINITIONS. 

In this paper the term artesian is applied to all wells whose waters 
are under hydrostatic pressure. Artesian wells that flow are called 
flowing wells, and those that do not flow are called nonflowing wells. 
Wells are here likewise arbitrarily divided into deep and shallow 
wells, the latter including all wells less than 100 feet deep. 

OCCURRENCE OF GROUND WATER. 
SOURCE OF GROUND WATER. 

The source of all ground water (artesian water, spring water, 
shallow-well water, deep-well water) is rainfall. A part of the rain- 
fall, known as run-off, enters the creeks and drainways and is carried 
to the sea, sometimes as a destructive flood; a second part is evapo- 
rated; and a third part, known as the ground water, sinks into the 
ground, where it supplies wells and springs, is taken up by plants, 
or enters into chemical combination with the rocks and minerals 
of the earth's crust. 

The amount of rainfall that enters the earth is dependent (1) on 
the kind of rain, more water passing into the ground during a slow 
rain than during a cloudburst; (2) on the topography of the country, 
more water entering a flat area than a greatly dissected one, where 
drainage is rapid; (3) on the character and amount of vegetation, 
more water entering the ground in a forested region than in one not 
forested; (4) on the porosity of the surface, a sandy soil absorbing 
much more water than a clayey one. 

In the area here considered the annual rainfall averages 50 inches 
and, for the most part, is equably distributed throughout the year. 
The region is characterized by sandy soil and by forest growth, and 
in consequence a large portion of the rainfall — perhaps as much as 
one- third — enters the ground. (See fig. 7.) 

ZONE OF SATURATION. 

Water that enters the ground does not sink to abnormal depths. 
Six miles beneath the surface the pressure of the overlying terranes 
is so great that the pores and crevices and caverns in the rocks are 
effectually sealed, and the passage of the water farther downward is 



88 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



prevented. There is, therefore, a certain level, known as the lower 
level of ground water, beneath which the waters do not sink. Prac- 
tically all the water supplied by wells and of use to man comes from 





1 


2 








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20 








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LEGEND 



0-20 



20-30 J0-40 40-50 

MEAN ANNUAL RAINFALL 
IN INCHES 



50-60 



X 



MEAN 

ANNUAL RUN-OFF 

IN INCHES 



Figure 7.— Map showing mean annual rainfall and run-off in the State of Texas. 

depths not exceeding one-half to two-thirds mile. Water that has 
sunk into the ground lies in a saturated zone whose surface is known 




: ■;.'■;;:: ■ ?!?' : I r.oO W d~wat e'Kta bi e 




Figure 8.— Diagram illustrating the position of the main ground-water table in a region of undulating 

topography. 

as the main ground-water table. This surface is constantly fluctu- 
ating, rising during rainy seasons and sinking during droughts. It is 
very irregular, approximately following the topography of the 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



89 



country (see fig. 8), and being higher (though deeper beneath the 
surface) under hills than under the adjacent valleys. 

All the materials, whether limestones, clays, sandstones, conglome- 
rates, or granites, within the saturated zone are thoroughly saturated. 
It is literally a hydrosphere or water sphere occupying the pores and 
crevices of a part of the lithosphere or rock sphere. The possibility 
of procuring water when this zone is penetrated depends on the coarse- 
ness of the materials in which the hole is bored. If a gravel or sand 
bed or a sandstone or a porous limestone is penetrated the water 
readily enters the opening with a rapidity dependent on the porosity 
of the terrane. If, however, a clay or a shale bed is penetrated, the 



1 Catchment ' 

I 



area 




Figure 9.— Diagram showing common arrangement of factors producing flowing wells. 

material, though saturated, yields no water owing to the fineness 
of the pores. 

MOVEMENT OF GROUND WATER. 

Certain beds, therefore, are porous or pervious, and through these 
the water is relatively free to move; other beds are impervious, and 
in these it is forced to remain stationary. Sandstones and some 
limestones fall in the first category, and clays and shales in the second. 

Where pervious beds outcrop water soaks into them, and if they 
are inclined it descends under the action of gravity to the lowest 
possible point, where it accumulates. If a well is sunk to this porous 
reservoir, or if a fault plane cuts it, water will rise in the opening 
approximately to the level of the water in the outcrop. (See fig. 9.) 



90 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

If the surface at the opening is lower than the surface of the water in 
the outcrop, the water will escape at the surface and produce an 
artesian well. The underground conditions that produce artesian 
wells are variable; the commoner are indicated in figures 9,10, and 1 1 . 

PERCHED GROUND- WATER TABLES. 

In some places small zones of saturation, known as perched water 
tables, occupy higher levels than the main water table and are 
separated from it by nonsaturated strata. (See fig. 12, p. 92.) Such 
zones are local and of no great economic importance. 

ARTESIAN SYSTEMS OF THE TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 
GENERAL FEATURES. 

On the Coastal Plain of Texas the arrangement of the relatively 
pervious and impervious strata is such as to constitute five great 
artesian systems, known as the Coast Prairie, Dewitt, Catahoula, Yegua, 



Figure 10.— An artesian ba=;in. B-B', Artesian reservoir; A-A' and C-C', 
confining impervious strata. 

lower Eocene, and Nacatoch systems. (Seefig. 13, p. 93.) Eachsystem 
consists of two confining impervious members, between which is a 
porous water-logged member which constitutes an artesian reservoir. 
The conditions approximate closely those outlined in figure 9. Each 
reservoir contains a great number of water-bearing beds, but any par- 
ticular bed is essentially local; different beds supply different localities. 
The systems will be considered in the order of their superposition, 
beginning with the lowermost. 

NACATOCH ARTESIAN SYSTEM. 

The Nacatoch artesian system is not of great economic impor- 
tance in the region considered, supplying only a small territory 
along the interior margin of the Tertiary area. (See PI. VII, in 
pocket.) It is made up of the Nacatoch sand of the Gulf series of 
the Cretaceous system, underlain by the impervious Marlbrook marl 
and overlain by the impervious Arkadelphia clay. (See fig. 13.) 

The catchment area for this system (the outcrop of the Nacatoch 
sand) lies slightly north and west of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. 



SOUTHEASTEEN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



91 



(See PL I, in pocket.) The available area l and the flowing-well 
area are indicated on the map (PL VII). 

Few wells have penetrated to these sands. The most important are 
indicated on Plate VII. Within the area described water from these 
sands obtained by wells exceeding 600 to 700 feet in depth and 
located east of the 500-foot structure contour is likely to be salty 
and unfit for use. 



Artesian 
well 



Height of water In 
nonflowing wells 



Artesian 
well 




LOWER EOCENE ARTESIAN SYSTEM. 

General character. — The lower Eocene artesian system consists of 
the Wilcox formation, the Mount Selman formation, and the lower 
part of the Cook Mountain formation, the whole being underlain by 
the clays of the Midway formation and overlain by the clays and 
marls of the upper part of the Cook Mountain formation. (See 
PL VIII, in pocket.) The reservoir, which is 1,300 to 1,500 feet in 
vertical thickness, consists 
very largely of sand and 
sandstones but has scat- 
tered through it irregu- 
lar, discontinuous beds of 
clay. The entire reservoir 
is water-lo'gged. Seaward, 
the sandy beds of the sys- 
tem grade into impervious 
clays. (See rig. 9 and fig. 
13.) 

In the region where the 
sands of the Wilcox, Mount 
Selman, and Cook Moun- 
tain formations outcrop (see PL I, in pocket) flowing wells depend on 
the local topography, all of them being located in the valleys, as, for 
instance, 2 in the Brazos bottoms near Calvert (well No. 879, pp. 
327-328), near Kilgore (No. 362, p. 178), and south of Tenaha (No. 
948, p. 341). Wells at Blunt in Freestone County (well No. 215, pp. 
153-154) and at other places on the divides do not flow. Through- 
out the greater portion of the catchment area and especially in the 
western half flows from this reservoir are not to be expected except 
in the valleys. 

Where the reservoir sands are covered by the impervious upper 
part of the Cook Mountain formation (see PL I), flowing wells are more 
common, the area of flow increasing with the increasing depth of the 
reservoir and the decreasing altitude of the surface. (See PL VIII.) 

1 By available area is meant the total area capable of being served from a given reservoir. It includes 
the catchment area, the area underlain by the reservoir, the area of flowing wells, and the area of non- 
flowing wells. 

» Numbers refer to wells listed in the county descriptions, pp. 110-160. 



Figure 11.— Diagram showing water conditions in the 
outcrop of the Wilcox formation in Texas. 



92 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



From Stone City in Brazos County to a point 5 or 6 miles southwest of 
Calvert in the Brazos Valley numerous flowing wells derive their water 
from this system. (See wells Nos. 908, 909, 914, p. 327.) Wells at 
Circle (No. 163, p. 147), Nacogdoches and Oil City (Nos. 820 and 811, 
pp. 309-310), near Piatt (No. 12, p. 115), near Ironosa (No. 942, 
p. 337), and near Robertsons Ferry (No. 933, p. 332) all draw from 
this reservoir. 

On the map (PL VIII, hi pocket) is indicated the area in which 
water may be obtained from these sands and the area in which flowing 
wells may be had. 

South of the 2,000-foot structure contour this artesian reservoir is 
so deeply buried and the cost of reaching it is so great that it would 
not be economical to attempt to obtain water from it. It is also 
probable that the water from this great depth would not be fit for use. 
Water of better quality can be obtained from the overlying reservoir 
at much less cost, but the pressure would not be so great. 



Shallow 
well 




Dry strata 



Saturated 
f strata 



Figure 12.— Diagram showing the relation of a perched water table to the main water table. 

Quality of water. — Where domes and faults interrupt the continuity 
of the sands this reservoir will commonly yield salt water. Except 
at such places, however, it will yield water suited for domestic and 
industrial use at all points north and west of the 1 ,500-foot structure 
contour. (See PL VIII.) 

At Hearne, water from the lower Eocene is used for locomotive 
boilers, for domestic purposes, for irrigation, and for the manufacture 
of ice. At Nacogdoches it is used in boilers by the Hay ward Lumber 
Co. For analyses, see table facing page 110. 



YEGUA ARTESIAN SYSTEM. 



General character. — The Yegua artesian system consists of the per- 
vious Yegua formation, the underlying impervious clays of the upper 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN, 



93 



i 

o 

3 

09 

o 
3 



-Nacatoch system 



*\ARTES/AN WELL 



- Lower Eocene system 



ARTES/AN WELL 



fan. 



B.£H 



'lift S 



■f- : €] 



' :i 



part of the Cook Mountain formation, and the overlying impervious 
Jackson formation. (See fig. 13.) The Yegua contains numerous 
water-bearing beds, as is shown by the t 

logs of wells at College Station (well 
No. 92, p. 136), at Lamb Springs and 
Keith (Nos. 378 and 390, pp. 183-186), 
and in Angelina County on the Graham 
Survey (No. 26, pp. 119-120). 

Conditions in the catchment area are 
similar to those in the catchment area 
of the lower Eocene artesian system. 
(See p. 91.) If satisfactory supplies 
are not obtained from the Yegua, wells 
should be carried to the underlying 
lower Eocene reservoir, where supplies 
suitable in quantity and quality may be 
expected. However, where the lower 
reservoir lies deeper than 2,000 feet the 
water obtained will probably be unfit 
for use. (See PI. VII, in pocket.) 

Where embedded, the Yegua forma- 
tion supplies the water for flowing wells, 
as, for instance, at Wellborn (well No. 
119, p. 134), near Lovelady (No. 966, 
p. 344), and at. Iris (No. 968, p. 344). 
The area of flow occupies the valleys 
near the Yegua-Catahoula boundary 
and gradually spreads out on the 
divides as the depth to the formation 
increases southward. (See PI. VII.) 
The available area is indicated on 
Plate VII (in pocket). 

Quality of water. — Water from the 
Yegua artesian reservoir north of the 
1,000-foot structure contour (see PI. 
VII) is commonly suitable for domestic 
use and«is fairly satisfactory for use in 
boilers and for irrigation. South of 
this line the water is generally salty 
and unfit for use. 

At Bryan a supply from a depth of 
135 feet is used in boilers and is fairly J|| 

satisfactory for this purpose. At Lamb jjj*§ 

Springs, Grimes County, water from a ~" M 

depth of 540 feet was not fit to drink. At Burke, Angelina County, 
salty water was obtained at a depth of 500 feet. 



►Yegua system 



ARTES/AN WELL 
Catahoula system 



• Dewitf- system 



ARTES/AN WELL 



■ Coast Prairie system 



MaRTES/AN WELL 



ARTESIAN WELL, 



94 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

The analysis of the water from the well at Clay, Burleson County, 
indicates the general character of the water from this reservoir. 
(Sec table facing p. 110.) 

CATAHOULA ARTESIAN SYSTEM. 

The Catahoula sandstone, as its name implies, consists largely of 
sands and sandstones. Together with the impervious overlying 
Fleming clay and the impervious clays of the underlying Jackson and 
Yegua formations it constitutes an important artesian reservoir in the 
Coastal Plain. (See fig. 13.) 

The wells at Hempstead (well No. 999, p. 354), at Kirbyville (No. 
627, p. 250), and at numerous other places are supplied by this reser- 
voir. (See PI. VIII, in pocket.) 

The available area, catchment area, area where embedded, area 
of flowing wells, and area of nonflowing wells for this reservoir are 
indicated on Plate VIII. 

Water from the Catahoula sandstone is, with few exceptions, well 
adapted for drinking and for industrial use. The quality shown by 
the analysis of the water from Kirbyville (see table facing p. 110) 
may be regarded as typical. 

DEWITT ARTESIAN SYSTEM. 

The Dewitt formation contains numerous sand beds which supply 
water to an approximately triangular area whose apexes are at 
Navasota, Newton (?), and Richmond. The available area, area of 
flowing wells, and area of nonflowing wells for this reservoir are indi- 
cated on Plate IX (in pocket). 

Water from the sands and sandstones of the Dewitt formation is, 
with few exceptions, well adapted for drinking and for industrial use. 

COAST PRAIRIE ARTESIAN SYSTEM. 

The Lissie gravel constitutes one of the most important water- 
bearing formations of the Coastal Plain. The overlying impervious 
Beaumont clay serves to confine the water to this formation. This 
artesian system has been previously described by Hill and has been 
named by him the Coast Prairie artesian system. 1 

The wells at Alta Loma, Houston, Orange, and numerous other 
places on the Coast Prairie are supplied by this reservoir and are 
used extensively for irrigation. The available area, catchment area, 
area where embedded, area of flowing wells, and area of nonflowing 
wells, are indicated on Plate VII (in pocket). 

Water from the Lissie gravel from depths not exceeding 700 or 800 
feet is generally satisfactory. 

1 Hill, R. T., Geography and geology of the Black and Grand prairies, Texas, etc.: Twenty-first Ann. 
Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 7, 1901, pp. 401-408. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 95 

MINOR SOURCES OF UNDERGROUND WATER. 
MARINE MIOCENE BEDS. 

In the part of the Coastal Plain that lies south of a line extending 
nearly from Kirbyville, in Jasper County, to Richmond, in Fort Bend 
County, the buried marine Miocene beds supply water to wells enter- 
ing them. These beds lie beneath the Lissie gravel and above the 
Fleming clay, where the latter has not been removed by erosion. 
They derive their water by infiltration from surrounding water- 
saturated strata, having no outcrop in Texas. 

Along the coast, these marine Miocene beds lie about 1,500 feet 
below the surface. Along their northern limit (Kirbyville to Rich- 
mond) they lie about 700 feet below the surface. The depths of the 
basal beds are indicated by the structure contours on Plate IX 
(in pocket). 

As water from these beds is, with very few exceptions, too salty for 
domestic or industrial use, it is of little value. 

BEAUMONT CLAY. 

The Beaumont clay includes a number of sand lenses and sandy 
zones, commonly of small extent, which serve as strainers to extract 
water from the surrounding water-logged clays. Wells penetrating 
the Beaumont commonly find two or more of these water-bearing 
sands. Some of these lenses or zones are exposed at the surface and 
collect water directly. Most of them dip at a small angle, and their 
water in consequence is under more or less pressure, though very 
rarely under sufficient pressure to flow. Commonly water from the 
Beaumont is more or less salty and unfit to drink. For these rea- 
sons the waters from these clays are not of very great economic 
importance. 

SALT WATER. 

In a strip of land 5 to 10 miles wide bordering the coast no potable 
water can be had in a well at any depth. It seems probable that the 
obtainable water is residual sea water that has not yet escaped from 
the formations. It is, however, not so highly concentrated as sea 
water, indicating that it has been more or less diluted by meteoric 
water entering at the outcrops. 

Salt water is also commonly found beneath the oil domes at much 
less depth than in the surrounding regions. The domes are thus in 
a measure islands of salt water protruding through the mass of fresh 
water. Their water is much higher in temperature than waters from 
the same level in the adjacent regions, and it has probably risen from 
great depths through fault planes and fissures. 



96 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

DEPTH TO RESERVOIRS. 

If it be desired to ascertain the depth to any particular water- 
bearing reservoir at a given place, it is necessary (1) to determine the 
elevation in feet of that place above sea level; and (2) to determine, 
by reference to the hydrologic maps (Pis. VII, VIII, and IX in 
pocket), the depth, in feet, at which the particular reservoir sought 
lies below sea level at the point. The sum of these two numbers is 
the depth, in feet, to which the well will have to be drilled to reach 
the water-bearing reservoir sought. 

USES OF GROUND WATER. 

In the valley of Brazos River, between Calvert and Hempstead, 
each plantation has one or more artesian wells, in which the water is 
under sufficient pressure to carry it 5 to 10 feet above the surface, 
obviating the necessity for artificial lifting and distributing devices. 
This water is obtained at comparatively shallow depths, and it is 
usually cheaper to seek it in a new well than to attempt to pipe it for 
any great distance. As a rule each negro cabin has its own well. 
The water is used for drinking, washing, cooking, and stock; very 
little is used for irrigation. 

The cities of Bryan, Navasota, Hempstead, Huntsville, Palestine, 
Orange, Hearne, Mineola, Marshall, Calvert, Center, Tyler, Houston, 
and Galveston depend on artesian wells for their public water supply. 
The commercial and industrial supremacy of Houston in the area 
largely depends on its possessing so close to the coast an adequate 
water supply adapted to manufacturing. In the cities and towns 
most of the cotton gins, sugar mills, cotton&eed-oil mills, ice factories, 
and packing houses use artesian water for their boilers and for other 
purposes. 

In the timbered area the chief consumers of artesian water are 
the sawmills, which need adequate and suitable supplies for their 
power plants. Some of them depend also on artesian wells to fiU 
their log ponds. 

The railroads use much artesian water in their shops and locomo- 
tive boilers. They have artesian wells at many places in the area. 

In the coastal tier of counties (especially in Jefferson, Liberty, 
Chambers, Harris, Fort Bend, and Brazoria counties) artesian wells 
di awing from the Lissie gravel have come into much importance 
within the last 10 years for rice irrigation. In Galveston and Bra- 
zoria counties artesian wells are extensively used for irrigating truck 
farms and fruit orchards. 



SOUTHEASTER N TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 97 

SPRINGS. 

Springs occur at points where the ground water issues at the sur- 
face through natural openings. Many springs appear at the edges 
of perched water tables. (See fig. 12.) Ordinarily their water enters 
the ground not very far away and may be polluted and unfit to 
drink, so that they afford the least desirable kind of spring water. 
Springs are also formed where a stream cuts down below the level of 
the main ground- water table. (See fig. 8.) Springs are commonly 
associated with fault planes and fissures, the water being forced up 
along the fault planes by hydrostatic pressure. (See fig. 9.) As these 
springs may derive their water from great depths and are in a man- 
ner natural artesian wells, they are called artesian springs. 

The northern portion of the area here considered has been greatly 
dissected and springs from perched water tables are common. The 
strata composing the hills contain a large percentage of iron and some 
beds of iron ore. Water percolating through these beds takes iron 
in solution and emerges at the surface in iron-charged, ferruginous, 
or chalybeate springs, some of which have reputations as local health 
resorts. A great number of these chalybeate springs occur in Chero- 
kee, Rusk, and Harrison counties; Hynson's Iron Mountain Springs 
in Harrison County are typical. 

In Nacogdoches and Angelina counties along Angelina River, in 
Angelina County along Neches River, and in Gregg County along 
Sabine River many springs have resulted from the cutting of the 
main water table. In circulating through the beds of lignite the 
water may take into solution sulphur compounds, which by reaction 
evolve hydrogen sulphide gas, thus producing sulphur springs, which 
are almost as common in the area as chalybeate springs. 

So far as known, artesian springs are comparatively rare in the 
region, though the springs at some of the saline domes — Sour Lake 
and High Island, for example — may be of this type. 

The important springs of the East Texas region are listed in the 
tables accompanying the county descriptions. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

IMPURITIES IN WATER. 

While water is falling as ram, or flowing over the surface of the 
ground, or percolating through the soil and the rocks, it takes up 
impurities, living and nonliving, that affect in various ways its adapt- 
ability to different uses. 

14926°— wsp 335—14 7 



98 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

LIVING MATTER IN WATER. 

The living matter that may be taken up consists chiefly of bacteria 
(microscopic plants) and protozoa (microscopic animals). Most varie- 
tur of bacteria arc not directly harmful, but others produce typhoid 
fever, dysentery, and cholera. Such germs are discharged- with the 

feces or urine of persons ill with those diseases and may infect domestic 
water wherever sewage is emptied into drinking water or wherever 
drainage from privies enters stream channels or sink holes. Polluted 
drinking water is one of the commonest means of transferring such 
diseases from one person to another. 

Fortunately, these deleterious agents are largely, though not en- 
tirely, confuted to the surface waters as opposed to the underground 
waters. Wherever water has passed for some distance through a 
natural filtering medium in the ground the bacteria are removed 
and it is no longer capable of causing bacterial disease. From this 
standpoint, therefore, underground waters are much superior to sur- 
face waters for drinking. 

It must not be understood, however, that water from all wells and 
springs is safe, for polluted waters drain into some wells and springs 
and render them just as dangerous as open streams. Xo surface 
drainage whatever should be allowed to enter domestic wells or springs, 
and the underground waters should enter them only after having 
seeped through a sufficient thickness of material not coarser than 
common water-bearing sand. If the presence of contamination is 
suspected the water and the area about the well or spring should be 
examined by an expert sanitarian. 

NONLIVING MATTER IN WATER. 

Suspended matter. — The suspended matter consists of fine particles, 
usually of sand or clay, gathered from soil and rock detritus, which 
make the water muddy or turbid. When the water becomes per- 
fectly still, the particles settle and the water becomes clear. Sus- 
pended matter may also be filtered out either naturally or artificially. 
If, for example, a muddy water passes through a fairly thick bed of 
sand it emerges as a clear water. Suspended matter is confined 
largely to surface waters and occurs in ground waters only where a 
water-bearing formation is cavernous or is composed of extremely 
fine sand, or where a well flows or is pumped at a very rapid rate. 
Water containing much suspended matter is unsuitable for drinking, 
washing, or cooking, or for use in boilers, but as such material can be 
removed with comparative ease its presence is not a formidable 
objection. Water for irrigation, on the other hand, is not injured but 
is improved by a moderate amount of suspended matter, as such 
foreign material acts as a fertilizer when the water is spread on the 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 99 

land. As the ground waters of Texas in general contain little or no 
suspended matter, its quantity was not determined in the analyses 
for this report. 

Dissolved matter. — The dissolved matter found in natural waters 
comprises both gases and solids; on evaporation of the water the gases 
go off with the water vapor and the solids remain as a residue. Solu- 
tion results when a teaspoonful of salt, for example, is placed in a 
tumbler of water; after the salt has become invisible it is said to be 
in true solution, and if the water is then boiled off the teaspoonful of 
salt can be recovered. 

The materials dissolved in water are the chemical substances which 
largely compose the atmosphere and che rocks of the earth's crust. 
Among the gases may be mentioned oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N), 
the principal constituents of the air; carbon dioxide (C0 2 ), a product 
of the decay of organic matter, and hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S), a foul- 
smelling " sulphur" gas. 

Among the common solids are materials which exist in water as 
the following so-called radicles: Iron (Fe); aluminum (Al); calcium 
(Ca), one of the constituents of limestone, gypsum, and plaster, 
magnesium (Mg) , one of the constituents of Epsom salt ; sodium (Na) ; 
one of the constituents of washing soda and common table salt; 
potassium (K), one of the constituents of lye and saltpeter; carbonate 
(C0 3 ), one of the constituents of limestone; bicarbonate (HC0 3 ), one 
of the constituents of cooking soda; sulphate (S0 4 ), one of the con- 
stituents of Epsom and Glauber's salts; chlorine (CI), one of the con- 
stituents of common table salt; and nitrate (N0 3 ), one of the constit- 
uents of saltpeter. The first six of these are called positive or 
basic radicles and the other five negative or acidic radicles, and 
each has the power to combine, or react with, a definite amount of 
a radicle of the opposite sign. For example, 1 pound of the positive 
radicle sodium will combine with about 1.54 pounds of the negative 
radicle chlorine. These 1 1 radicles thus constitute a chemical system. 

Appreciable quantities of another element, silicon, are found in 
natural waters, but as tests show that this element is not in true 
solution, though it is invisible, it is said to be in " colloidal state, " and 
the quantities of it are conventionally expressed as silica, the oxide 
of silicon (Si0 2 ). Organic matter (matter formed through the agency 
of life and consisting chiefly of the element carbon) may also be 
present in the colloidal state and may give a brownish color to water. 
It is uncertain whether the iron and aluminum in some waters are in 
true solution or in colloidal state, but it is usual to report them as if 
they were in solution. Dissolved iron in some ground waters is 
precipitated as a rusty-looking cloud when such waters are allowed 
to stand open to the air. As the quantities of iron and aluminum 
in most waters are small, industrial chemists commonly report them 



100 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

together as the oxides (Fe 2 3 -i-Al 2 03). In acid waters both are 
probably in true solution. 

Concentration of dissolved matter. — Underground waters commonly 
contain in solution more mineral matter than the surface waters. 
Those in a humid region contain less than those in an arid region, 
chiefly because the greater rainfall serves to dilute the underground 
water, and the smaller evaporation does not so greatly concentrate 
the dissolved substances. Underground waters that have circulated 
through sandstones and jointed shales commonly contain less mineral 
matter than those that have circulated through limestones, rock salt, 
or gypsum, because the latter materials are more easily dissolved. 
Water that has traveled a great distance underground commonly con- 
tains more mineral matter than water that has traveled only a short 
distance, because it has had opportunity to come into contact with 
a greater quantity of soluble matter. 

WATER FOR DOMESTIC USE. 
WATER FOR DRINKING. 

A good drinking water 1 should be cool, clear, colorless, and with- 
out odor (especially without odor of hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S) or of 
putrescible matter); it should be agreeable to the taste, not flat, 
salty, or sweetish; it should be free from germs of disease and from 
all other substances, mineral or organic, that are injurious to the 
human system. Though a certain amount of mineral matter gives 
the water a pleasing taste, the total dissolved solids should not as a 
rule exceed 600 parts per million. Nominal quantities of carbon 
dioxide (C0 2 ) and air give life to the water and save it from flatness. 

The character of the dissolved constituents affects the value of a 
water for drinking nearly as much as does the total quantity of dis- 
solved mineral matter. Water that contains in solution less than 
2 parts per million of iron and less than 600 parts of other ordi- 
nary mineral matter is not likely to be unpalatable or injurious 
because of the mineral substances in it. Many waters with a far 
greater proportion of total solids than 600 parts per million may be 
safely used for drinking if sodium, calcium, magnesium, chlorine, 
and the carbonate and bicarbonate radicles constitute the major 
part of the dissolved mineral ingredients. Water containing between 
300 and 600 parts per million of chlorine tastes slightly brackish or 
salty but is nevertheless potable. Water containing as much as 
800 or 900 parts of chlorine is distinctly disagreeable to the taste, and 
that carrying more than 2,000 parts is undrinkable. Water that 
contains more than 2,000 parts of the sulphate radicle (S0 4 ) is 

i Smith, E. A., The underground water resources of Alabama: Geol. Survey Alabama, 1907, p. 344. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 101 

laxative, and continual drinking of it is disastrous. Waters exces- 
sively high in calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) are commonly sup- 
posed to induce certain diseased conditions, such as urinary calculi, 
goiter, and cretinism, but no scientific data confirm such belief, and 
they seem more likely to cause intestinal and gastric disturbances. 1 

Waters that contain more than 8 parts per million of iron may be 
classed as chalybeate, 2 and though they may not be injurious to health 
they are unpleasant in taste and in appearance. Much less than 8 
parts per million may give water a chalybeate taste and produce 
rusty spots on fabrics. 

WATER FOR COOKING. 

Waters excessively high in calcium and magnesium are not desirable 
for cooking, as they impair the flavor of many foods. Iron-bearing 
waters are also unsuitable, as they form a black compound with the 
tannin in tea and in many vegetables. 

WATER FOR WASHING. 

Soap combines with calcium and magnesium, forming an insoluble 
precipitate, and with waters high hi these substances it is necessary to 
use much soap before a lather can be produced. Some waters are so 
high in these substances that it is necessary to " break" or "soften" 
them before they can be used; others, still higher, form such quanti- 
ties of curd with soap that they are useless. The cost in cents per 
1,000 gallons of water for the soap necessary to produce a lather may 
be calculated from the following formula, given by Stabler, 3 the values 
of Fe, Al, etc., being the number of parts per million of the respec- 
tive radicles in the water : 

Soap cost =11 + 1.79 Fe + 5.54 A1 + 2.5 Ca + 4.11 Mg + 49.6 H 

A very soft water would not have a soap cost greater than 40 cents 
per 1,000 gallons of water. Water No. 378b (table facing p. 110), 
which is characterized by an extremely high content of soap-con- 
suming constituents, would have a soap cost of $13.76 per 1,000 
gallons of water and may be regarded as unfit for washing purposes. 
Chalybeate or iron waters are also not adapted to laundry use, as pre- 
cipitation of the iron produces rusty spots on fabrics, as little as 2 
parts per million of iron causing stains. 

i Turneaure, F. E., and Russell, H. L., Public water supplies; requirements, resources, and the con- 
struction of works, 1901, p. 142. 

» Smith, E. A., op. cit., p. 325. 

3 Stabler, Herman, The industrial application of water analyses: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey 
No. 274, p. 169. 



102 GEOLOGY AND (JND£fiGBOU#D WATERS OF 

CLASSIFICATION OF DOMESTIC WATERS. 

. Vecording to the classification used in the table of analyses (facing p. 
1 10) by R. B. Dole, waters containing less than 150 parts per million of 
mineral matter in solution have low mineral content; waters contain- 
ing from 150 to 500 parts moderate mineral content; waters con- 
taining from 500 to 2,000 parts high mineral content; and waters con- 
taining more than 2,000 parts very high mineral content. Sea water 
contains about 35,000 parts per million, and the waters of some salt 
lakes as much as 300,000 parts per million of mineral matter. 

The general chemical character of waters, which is helpful in deter- 
mining their availability for domestic use, has been indicated in the 
table of analyses. 1 Ca (calcium) indicates that calcium and mag- 
nesium are predominant, and Na (sodium) that sodium and potas- 
sium are predominant among the bases. Similarly the designation 
C0 3 (carbonate), S0 4 (sulphate), or CI (chloride) shows which acid 
radicle is predominant. Combination of the basic and acidic designa- 
tions classifies the water. For example, the designation sodium- 
chloride (Na-Cl) water indicates that among the bases sodium pre- 
dominates and among the acids chlorine predominates. A calcium- 
carbonate (Ca-C0 3 ) water is one in which calcium is the most 
abundant constituent among the positive, and carbonate the most 
abundant among the negative radicles. A sodium-chloride water 
possesses different properties from a calcium-carbonate water. 

WATER FOR STOCK. 

Cattle and horses tolerate water of much higher mineral content 
than does man. Stock often drink water that contains as much as 
1,700 parts per million of chlorine, and is therefore so salty that it will 
not be tolerated by man. It is therefore possible to use for watering 
stock a water that would be considered unfit for drinking by human 
beings. It is sometimes asserted that highly mineralized water is 
beneficial to cattle and helps to keep them in prime condition, but 
the accuracy of the assertion is extremely doubtful. 

WATER FOR BOILERS. 

When water is used for making steam the mineral matter in solution 
may produce three deleterious conditions — foaming, corrosion, and 
formation of scale. 

FOAMING. 

Foaming is the formation of bubbles (films of water inclosing steam) 
on and above the surface of the water. The less easily these bubbles 
break the higher the foam rises, and it may rise so excessively that 

1 Dole, R. B., Rapid examination of water in geologic surveys of water resources: Economic Geology, 
vol. 6, No. 4, June, 1911, p. 340. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 103 

the bubbles pass out with the steam. Foaming is commonly attrib- 
uted to the sodium and potassium salts in the boiler feed, and there- 
fore the estimate of the amount of these salts, given by the following 
formula, represents for practical purposes the foaming tendency of a 
water. 1 

Foaming coefficient = 2.7 Na + 2 K 

Muddy waters of low mineral content may foam, however, so that 
foaming is not entirely attributable to concentration of alkali. 
Much depends on the type and operation of the boiler. 

Priming, which should not be confused with foaming, results pri- 
marily from faulty boiler design or operation. It consists of an 
ebullition so violent that it drives water in the form of spray out of 
the boiler along with, the steam. Such wet steam is not only wasteful, 
for it wastes heat into the engine, but it is also dangerous, for the 
water may so completely fill the clearances that the piston will break 
the cylinder head. 

CORROSION. 

Corrosion, which is due to solution of the metallic iron of the boiler 
by substances in the boiler water, may so reduce the strength of the 
boiler as to make its use dangerous. Corrosion of a metal occurs in 
the presence of water if the metal is capable of taking the place of any 
positive radicle in the water. 

Stabler gives the following formula for calculating the corrosive 
tendency of a water from its analysis : 

c = H + 0.1116 Al + 0.0361 Fe + 0.0828 Mg- 0.0336 CO 3 -0.0165 HC0 3 

If the coefficient of corrosion (c) is positive, corrosion will occur. 
If c + 0.0503 Ca is negative, no corrosion will result from the mineral 
constituents in the water. If c is negative, but c + 0.0503 Ca is 
positive, corrosion may or may not occur, the probability of corrosive 
action varying directly with the value of the expression c + 0.0503 
Ca. 2 

SCALE FORMING. 

When water is evaporated to make steam much of the dissolved 
mineral matter is deposited as scale or sludge within the boiler. As 
scale is a poor conductor of heat it wastes fuel by making necessary 
a greater consumption of coal to evaporate a given quantity of water. 
The necessity of frequently cleaning the boiler and of repairing its 
burnt portions also increases its operating cost and shortens its 
effective service. A thick deposit of scale allows the boiler plates 
next to the furnace to become overheated and perhaps to give way, 
with disastrous results. 



1 Stabler. Herman, op. cit., p. 172. 2 Idem, p. 17.i. 



104 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



In the formation of scale, calcium to the full extent of its ability 
to combine with the carbonate, bicarbonate, and sulphate radicles 
is precipitated. Silicon, iron, and aluminum in the form of oxides, 
magnesium (mostly as the oxide but partly as the carbonate), and 
suspended matter are also deposited. 

St abler' s formulas for computing the total scale and the hard scale 
likely to result in boilers are given below with the coefficients re- 
computed so as to give total scale in parts per million instead of in 
pounds per 1,000 gallons. Sm stands for suspended matter and 
Cm for colloidal matter (oxides of silicon, iron, and aluminum). 

Total scale = Sm + Cm + 1.3 Fe + 1.9 Al+1.66 Mg + 2.95 Ca 

Hard scale =Si0 2 + 1.66 Mg+1.92 CI +1.42 S0 4 -2.9o Na-1.74 K 

The ratio between the amount of hard scale and of total scale 
indicates the probable hardness of the scale that will be deposited. 
If the hard scale is less than one-quarter of the total the scale may be 
classed as "soft"; if it is one-quarter to one-half, as "medium"; 
and if it is one-half or more, as hard. a 

CLASSIFICATION OF BOILER WATERS. 

The following limits of foaming and scaling ingredients proposed 
by Dole have been used in classifying the waters whose analyses are 
reported. Due allowance is made for the comparative hardness 
of the scale and for the corrosive tendency of the constituents. 
Hard and fast limits, however, can not be rigidly observed, as much 
depends on the nature of the water. These ratings conform to com- 
mon engineering practice, though they are possibly somewhat more 
rigid than the local standards in Texas. Recognition of them and of 
the economies that may be effected by obtaining good supplies or by 
properly treating those capable of treatment will be beneficial to 
boiler-room practice throughout the State. 

Approximate classification of waters for boiler use according to proportion of scale- 
forming and foaming ingredients, b 

[Parts per million.] 





Scale-formii 


tg ingredient-. 




Foaming 


ingredients. 


More than— 


Less than — 


Classification. 


More than — 


Less than— 


Classification. 




90 
200 
430 
680 


Good. 

Fair. 

Poor. 

Bad. 
Very bad. 




70 
150 
250 
400 


Very good. 
Good. 
Fair. 
Bad. 
Very bad. 


90 
200 
430 
680 


70 
150 
250 
400 







« Stabler, Herman, op. cit., pp. 176, 177. 

o Dole, E. B., Rapid examination of water in geologic surveys of water resources: Econ. Geology 
vol.6, 1911, p. 3.54. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 105 

A good boiler water, according to these ratings, is one which con- 
tains not more than 150 parts per million of foaming constituents, 
which is noncorrosive, and which contains not more than 90 parts 
of scale-forming constituents. A water containing more than 
1,000 parts per million of foaming constituents may be called unfit 
for boiler use, as its use would probably result in excessive foaming. 
A water containing more than 700 parts per million of scale-form- 
ing ingredients also may be classed as unfit, because its use would 
result in excessive deposition of scale if it were used in the raw state 
and excessive foaming if it were softened with lime and soda ash. 
It is usually economical to soften waters classed as poor because of 
their high content of scaling ingredients, if the foaming ingredients 
are low enough to permit. Corrosive waters should be neutralized 
with soda ash or some other appropriate substance before being 
introduced into boilers. 

WATER FOR IRRIGATION. 
ALKALI COEFFICIENTS. 

Waters high in sodium are injurious to vegetation and if used for 
irrigation a sufficient length of time the salts of sodium, commonly 
referred to as "alkali," poison the soil. 

The alkali coefficient of a water has been defined by Stabler as 
the 'depth in inches of water which on evaporation would yield 
sufficient alkali to render a 4-foot depth of soil injurious to the most 
sensitive crops. Thus if the alkali coefficient of a water is found 
to be 17 that number of inches of water contains sufficient alkali 
to make the soil to which it is applied injurious to sensitive crops. 
Whether injury would actually result from the application of such 
a water to any particular piece of land, however, depends on methods 
of irrigating, the crops grown, the character of the soil, and the drain- 
age, and it should be clearly understood that the alkali coefficient 
in no way takes account of such conditions. Stabler's formulas 
for calculating the alkali coefficient of a water are as follows: 

2 040 
When Na — 0.65 CI is zero or negative, the alkali coefficient = *pi 

When Na — 0.65 CI is positive but not greater than 0.48 S0 4 , the 

alkali coefficient = ^ — ? n „ ^ 

I\a -h2.6 CI 

When Na — 0.65 CI — 0.48 S0 4 is positive, the alkali coefficient = 

662 

Na-0.32 CI -0.43 S0 4 

Waters to which the first two of the above formulas are applica- 
ble are likely to produce in the soil the so-called "white alkali," 
which consists of sodium chloride (common table salt) and sodium 



UUi 



GEOLOUV AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



sulphate (Glauber's salt); such waters can not be improved by 
chemical treatment. Waters to which the last formula is applicable 
arc likely to produce ''black alkali." Many such waters can be im- 
proved by treatment with gypsum or "land plaster" and the alkali 
coefficient of such waters reduced to that calculated from the second 
formula. 

CLASSIFICATION OF IRRIGATION WATERS. 

The following classification of irrigation waters may be recog- 
nized : 

Classification of irrigation waters. a 



Alkali coefficient. 


Class. 


Remarks. 


More than 18 


Good... 


. Used successfully for many years without special care to prevent alkali 
accumulation. 


18 to 6 


Fan- 


. Special c-are to prevent gradual alkali accumulation has generally been 




found necessary, except on loose soils with free drainage. 


5.9 to 1.2 


Poor . . . 


. Care in selection of soils has been found imperative and artificial drainage 
has frequently been found necessary. 




Less than 1.2 


Bad 


Practicallv valueless for irrigation. 



o Stabler, Herman, The industrial application of water analvses: Water-Supplv Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 274, p. 179. 

THERAPEUTIC USE OF WATER. 

The conviction is widespread and popular that waters high in 
mineral content are valuable in the cure of certain diseases, and it 
is unquestionable that many so-called " mineral waters" possess 
curative properties. Whether these properties are always related 
to the mineral content is, however, open to serious doubt. For that 
reason the results of a chemical analysis are not absolute criteria 
for determining the medicinal virtue of a water. When large quan- 
tities of sulphates or other active medicinal substances are present, 
however, an opinion may be formed as to the constituents to which 
the medicinal virtue is due. Many reputed mineral waters are 
among the purest of potable waters, and others, even if they con- 
tain substances of active medicinal value, may be tolerated by the 
body and may be potable because their mineral ingredients are greatly 
diluted. 

The following statement by Hilgard ! regarding the constant use 
of strong medicinal waters can be quoted with approval: 

It can not be too strongly urged upon the inhabitants of these regions * * * 
that the habitual use of mineral water proper of any kind is no more rational than 
would be the use of any other medicine with persons in a normal state of health. 

1 ITilpard, E. W., Report on the geology and agriculture of the State of Mississippi, 1860, p. 286. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 107 

It is often said that mineral waters are "nature's own remedy," which may be true 
enough, provided there is something to be remedied. The Epsom salt, Glauber's 
salt, gypsum, etc., contained in these waters are no less purgative, debilitating, 
and therefore injurious to persons in good health than the same articles are when 
derived from the druggist's vials. 

CHEMICAL CHARACTER IN RELATION TO GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS. 

GENERAL QUALITY. 

The analytical data are not sufficient to afford very satisfactory 
conclusions regarding the quality of the waters supplied by the 
respective formations of the Coastal Plain. The supplies of this area, 
like those of many other parts of the Southwest, vary widely in 
character and mineral content but in general may be called rather 
highly mineralized alkali waters, likely to foam badly in boilers and 
to cause trouble by alkali accumulation if used for irrigation. Though 
many wells furnish water too strong to be potable and some furnish 
water too hard to be used in cooking, most of the waters are drinkable 
and a large proportion of them can be used for all domestic purposes. 

WATERS FROM THE LISSIE GRAVEL. 

Most supplies from the Lissie gravel in east Texas are sodium car- 
bonate (Na-C0 3 ) and calcium carbonate (Ca-C0 3 ) waters of moderate 
or high mineral content, as is indicated by the table on page 108. 
Those from the shallower wells, 300 feet or less in depth, 60 or 70 
miles from the coast, are likely to be calcium carbonate waters of 
moderate mineral content. On the other hand, wells approximately 
600 feet deep, 30 to 50 miles from the coast, yield rather highly 
mineralized carbonate waters in which sodium predominates, and 
sodium chloride waters of high mineral content are found in the area 
5 to 10 miles from the coast. Apparently the proportion of salt water 
mixed with the limestone waters from farther inland increases toward 
the coast. 

With the exception of the salt waters, supplies from the Lissie 
gravels are fair to poor for boiler use, being too high in foaming in- 
gredients to be called good, though they are low in scaling ingredients. 
Most of them are potable and may be used for irrigation if proper care 
is taken. Nearly all the salt waters examined from this formation are 
too strongly mineralized to be suitable for use. 



10* 



(JE0L0U1 AND UNDERGROUND WAXEfiS Of 

Waters from the Lissie gravel. 



Well 
No. 


Depth. 


Mineral content. 


Chemical character. 


59 


Feet. 
1,020 ? 
1,100 ? 

(?) 

406 

813 

856 

797 

1,328 

810 

827 

756 to 796 

740 to 860 

750 

711 to 726 

710 

690 

600 

576 

935 to 1,020 

827 to 843 

392 to 466 

286 to 339 

265 to 320 

75 to 268 

661 to 683 


Very high 


Na-Cl. 


60 


do 


Na-Cl. 


66 


do 


Na-Cl. 


203 


Moderate 


Na-C0 8 . 


236 


Yerv high 


Na-Cl. 


241 


do 


Na-Cl. 


244 


do 


Na-Cl. 


245 


do 


Na-Cl. 


246 


...do 


Na-Cl. 


249 


do 


Na-Cl. 


260 


11 igh 




270 


do 


Na-Cl. 


302 


do 


Na-COa. 


306 


do 


Na-C0 3 . 


308 


do 


Na-C0 3 . 


312 


do 


Na-COa. 


336 


do 


Na-C0 3 . 


348 


do 


Na-C0 3 . 


356 


Very high 


Na-Cl. 


360 


High 


Na-Cl. 


411 


Moderate 


Ca-C0 3 . 


412 


do 


Ca-C0 3 . 


429 


do 




443 


do 


Ca-C0 3 . 


512a 


do 


Na-COg. 


512b 


High 


Na-C0 3 . 


537 


500 ? 
82 to 212 

360 
630 to 650 
240 to 290 
288 to 367 

740 ? 


do 


Na-CC-3. 


626 






638 


Very high 


Na-Cl. 


661 


H igh 


Na-Cl. 


738 


Moderate 


Ca-C0 3 . 


747 


do 


Ca-C0 3 . 


848 


High 











WATERS FROM THE DEWITT FORMATION. 

The few available analyses indicate that the Dewitt formation 
yields waters of rather moderate mineral content, poor for boilers 
but capable of being improved by treatment. The waters examined 
are good to fair for irrigation and are potable. 

Waters from the Deicitt formation. 



Well 
No. 


Depth. 


Mineral content. 


Chemical character. 


761 


Feet. 
532 to 585 
114 to 134 
577 to 642 ? 


Moderate 




783 


High 


Ca-C0 3 . 


790 


Moderate 


Ca-C0 3 . 









WATERS FROM THE CATAHOULA SANDSTONE. 

The supplies from the Catahoula sandstone are mostly alkali waters 
of high mineral content. Those analyzed are so high in foaming 
constituents that they are bad for boilers, being capable of little 
improvement by treatment. They are fair to poor for irrigation, 
but most of them are potable. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 
Waters from the Catahoula sandstone. 



109 



Well 
No. 



Depth. 



Mineral content. 



Chemical character. 



373 
381 
384 
621 
627 
1,010 



Feet. 
220 to 237 

520*7 

182 to 660 

1,312 tol, 346 
339 to 484 



High 

do... 

do.... 

Very high 
Moderate . 
High 



Na-C0 3 . 

Na-C0 3 . 

Na-COs. 

Na-Cl. 

Ca-CCh. 

Ca-C0 3 . 



WATERS FROM THE YEGUA FORMATION. 

The analytical data are insufficient to warrant categorical state- 
ment in regard to the waters of the Yegua formation. They are 
apparently salt waters of mineral content and are unfit for use. 

Waters from the Yegua formation. 




Mineral content. 



Chemical character. 



High Na-Cl. 

Very high Na-Cl. 



WATERS FROM THE MOUNT SELMAN FORMATION. 

The Mount Selman formation yields sulphate waters that range 
widely in mineral content and in usefulness. Many of them carry 
large quantities of iron. 

Waters from the Mount Selman formation. 



Well 
No. 



Depth. 



Mineral content. 



Chemical character. 



Oi 1 

625 
799 



Feet. 
Spring. 
1.037 to 1,320 
Spring. 



Moderate Ca-S04- 

High Ca-S0 4 . 

Very high j Ca-S0 4 . 



WATERS FROM THE WILCOX FORMATION. 

Waters from the Wilcox formation differ much in composition 
and in mineral content, ranging from supplies acceptable for all 
purposes to those unfit for use. Alkali waters high in mineral content 
are common. 



110 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Waters from the Wilcox formation . 



Well 

No. 


Depth. 


Mineral content. 


Chemical characi or. 


12a 


Feet. 

430 to 456 

1,024 to 1,070 

60 

253 

800 

Spring. 

300 

340 to 500 

80 to 84 

80 to 84 

80 to 84 

80 to 84 


High 


Na-COg. 


12b 


do 


Na-C0 3 . 


582 


Low 


Na-SO<. 


583 


Moderate 


Na-C03. 


780 


do 


Ca-SO<. 


801 


High 


Na-SO<. 


804 


Low 


Na-SO*. 


811 


Moderate 


Na-C0 3 . 


912a 


Very high 


Ca-S04. 


912b.... 


do 


Ca-SOi. 


912c.... 


do 




912d.... 


do 


Ca-S0 4 . 


935 


High 




951.. 


564 to 614 

(?) 
— to 1,202 


Very high 


Na-COs. 


1012 


Moderate 


Na-CO*. 


1013... 


High 


Na-C0 3 . 









ANALYSES. 

Many of the analyses in the accompanying table were made especially 
for this report in the chemical laboratory of the University of Texas, 
and the rest, for the most part reported by the analysts in grains per 
United States gallon and in hypothetical combinations, have been 
recomputed into ionic form in parts per million. 1 All have been 
classified by R. B. Dole according to the standards outlined on 
pages 100-106. The analyses are grouped by counties in alphabetic 
order, the numbers in the first column corresponding to those in the 
tables of wells. 

COUNTY DESCRIPTIONS. 

ANDERSON COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The western half of Anderson County is characterized by the out- 
crop of the Wilcox formation, the eastern half by the outcrop of the 
Cook Mountain formation. (See PL I.) The Nacatoch sand and the 
lower Eocene comprise the water-bearing formations of this county. 

Nacatoch sand. — The Nacatoch can be reached in the eastern half 
of the county by wells penetrating 1,000 to 1,500 below sea level, 
but the water would undoubtedly prove salty and therefore valueless. 
(See PI. VII, in pocket.) 

Lower Eocene. — The catchment or outcrop area of the lower Eocene 
reservoir extends over the whole of Anderson County. The base lies 
less than 100 feet below the sea level in the northwest corner of the 
county and about 550 feet below it in the southeast corner. 

In the southeast half of the county the lower sands of the reservoir 
are covered in places by lenses of clays inclined slightly seaward. 

1 For example, a million pounds of the water represented by analysis No. 12 contains 14 pounds of calcium, 
4 pounds of magnesium, and so on. 



Analyses of underground waters from eastern Texas. 




r-Supply Paper U. S. Gcol. Survey No. 190, 1907, p. ti; 

!, pp. OS-101. 

t charged this water with < ;ir in.nic acid iz^and put it on the mi 

..,.;..:■ i h. '.,, ,i„- <«., ■ i> , Uy iitiinjiincliomiblaiiu'd by a rival f< nny. 

c as the- sand encountered at 1,330 to 1,310 feet in the Galve ston deep well. 



y wells of Galveston. 



lCFeSO,+Al a (SO,) 



million. 

M:IHl':i!Ii' i I Mil), I 

sulplinrii' lU-itl, :i!U part* per million. 
or,T. U.,op.cit.,p.47. 

I;;:;,';;:,', ' , ' •-,< .xi*, ™ m , * ai., lupon* * .„ e i™^ ..m™, » ; .« t, ; ^ *«■<** a». Be P .. o»i. ^ t* 

.-ilro.iflvi.'l.l. T,ii,]icrau,rv.,s'- !■ . 1 iw , .irR.n .11,, ,uW, M r r milimelers per liter. 

i Taylor, T. U., op. cit., pp. 43-50. 

^^rSSffiSfiSfSl Robertson counties: Fourth Ann. Kept. Oool. Survey T«a, (1892), 1893, p. 84. 
! S" "a"'., Lists and analyses ol the mineral spring ol the United States: Bull. U. S. Oool. Survey No. 32, 1886, p. 128. 

Jlimtfuiuvjo (Mn), 7 parts per inillion. 
j Miinjiiincjje (Mn),i> parts per inillion. 



SOUTHEASTEBN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



Ill 



For this reason the waters in these parts are under more or less pres- 
sure. The pressure, however, is not sufficient to produce flows on 
the divides, and the area of flowing wells is confined largely to the 
lowlands flanking the streams. (See PI. VIII, in pocket.) Non- 
flowing wells, yielding abundant supplies of potable water from depths 
ranging from 50 to 900 feet, may be had over the entire county. All 
such wells draw from the lower Eocene reservoir. 

At Palestine three water sands are encountered in the Wilcox 
formation at depths of 200 to 250, 310 to 400, and 560 feet. No flows 
have been struck. The water is potable. Weak flows occur about 
3 i miles south of Neches (well No. 2), at an elevation lower than 
that of Palestine, but the water is not adapted to domestic use. 

WELL DATA. 

A detailed list of the wells of Anderson County is given in the sub- 
joined table: 

Wells and springs in Anderson County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


1 
Driller. Authority. 


1 


Bethel, 1 mile north 

Neches, 3£ miles south . . . 

Palestine 


J. B.HoweU 




J. B. Howell. 


9 


Anderson County Oil 

Co. 
Palestine Ice Co 




Postmaster. 


3 




Palestine Ice Co. « 


4 


...do 


Palestine Ice, Fuel 

& Gin Co. 
International & Great 

Northern Railway 

Co. 
Palestine Water & 

Power Co. 

Palestine Oil Co 

Ezell-Bell Co 




Postmaster. 


5 


do 




L. Trice, general superin- 
tendent, a 

H. L. Wright, receiver, a 

J. L.Mayo. b 
A. Deussen. 


6 

7 

s 


Palestine, 4 J miles from. . 

Palestine, 10 miles east. . 
Palestine, 8 miles east 

(Ezell place, Samuel 

Davis League). 
Palestine, 10 miles east 

(Duty tract). 
Elkhart 


American Well 

Works. 
J. L. Mayo 


q 


M. A. Davey 


T. J. Synott 


Do. 


10 




R. A. F. Penrose, jr. b 











No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to prin- 
cipal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Pumps per 
minute. 


1 


Inches. 


Feel. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Galls. 


? 


8 


850 






Small flow 

—80 




3 


6 


560 


495 


200to250,560(?) 
310 to 400 


100. 


4 


6 


480 




No flow 

—200 




5 


6 


650 


495 


Small. 




(6 


[400 to 444 
310... 


400 


235 to 440 








8-6 


/120.c 
\130.d 


6 


16 






115 to 121 






| 6 




7 






8 




878 






Flows (?) 




q 




1,040 








10 




60 to 30 

























a Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas: 
Prof. Paper U.S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1906, p. 228. 

b Penrose, R. A. F., jr., A preliminary report on the geology of the Gulf Tertiaries of Texas from Red 
River to the Rio Grande: First Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1890, pp. 100-101. 

c Well No. 1. 

d Well No. 2. 



112 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
Wells and springs in Anderson County, Tex. — Continued. 



Xo. 


Source of supply. 


lity. 


Remarks. 


1 






Spring. 

Oil test well. Mr. A.B. Hodges, Palestine, Tex., 
writes: "We are prospecting for oil east of 
Palestine, 3i miles south of Nechcs. We have 
not found any surface artesian flow of water to 
amount to anything. Have a light flow in one 
well of a highlv mineral character.'* 

Casing 300 feet. 

Completed in 1894. 

Drilled in 1S77-7S: not used. 


? 


Wilcox 


Mineral 


3 


do 


Iron 


4 


do 




5 


do 




6 


do 

Wilcox and Mount Selman. . . 


Iron, and slightly 
hard. 


Test well for oil; bored in 18S7; six wells 


8 


Wilcox 




Show of oil at 850 feet; oil test well; completed in 

1904; abandoned. 
Oil test well; completed in 1904. 
Local resort. A number of shallow wells. 


9 






10 




Iron, alum, and 
sulphur. 



DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

6. Section of well of Palestine Water &• Power Co., Palestine, Tex. 

Mount Selman and Wilcox formations: Feet. 

Pipe-clay, alternating with sand 0-30 

Fire clay 30- 60 

Lignite 60- 70 

Clay and sand 70-130 

Sandstone 130- 

Sand and clay -230 

Rock 230-235 

Water-bearing sand 23-5-280 

Rock 280- 

Water-bearing sand -440 

Rock 440-444 

The second well penetrated practically the same materials. Two other wells 
penetrated no rock and soon caved. 

7. Section of well of Palestine Oil Co., 10 miles cast of Palestine, Tex. 

Mount Selman and Wilcox formations: Feet. 

Soil 0- 15 

Rusty sand (some oil) 15- 18 

Chocolate-colored hardened sand 18- 24 

Alternate strata of sand and clay 24- 58 

Sand impregnated with oil 58- 72 

Clay and sand 72-115 

Quicksand and water 115-121 

Blue lignitic clay 121-280 

Loose sand , 280-310 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. ] 13 

8. Section of well on Ezell place near Neches and 10 miles east of Palestine, Tex. 

[Furnished by R. A. Brule. J 

Mount Selman and Wilcox formations: Ft, in. Ft. in. 

Mottled clay - 14 

"Pinched oil" sand 14 - 21 

Gray shale 21 - 46 

Oxide iron sand 46 0- 50 

Limestone 50 0- 50 4 

"Worn-out organic sand" 50 4 - 60 4 

Brown shale and sand 66 4 - 89 4 

"Pinched oil sand," gas indications 89 4- 96 4 

"Organic sand" and lignite 96 4-131 4 

Brown shale 131 4-156 4 

Limerock 156 4-156 6 

Shale and sand 156 6-183 6 

Grayshale 183 6-193 6 

Brown shale 193 6-196 6 

Limerock 196 6-196 9 

Brown shale 196 9-216 9 

Oil sandrock, gas indications 216 9 - 226 9 

Brown shale; signs of oil 226 9-238 9 

Organic sand; oil lignite 238 9-412 9 

Hard sandrock 412 9-419 9 

Packed sand; signs of oil 419 9 - 434 9 

Gray shale or soapstone 434 9-446 9 

Black-brown shale 446 9-458 9 

Blackgumbo 458 9-472 9 

"Organic sandrock" 472 9-482 9 

Oil sand and gas 482 9-498 9 

Soft lignite 498 9-502 9 

Brown shale 502 9-542 9 

Shale and "decomposed asphalt" 542 9-547 9 

Sandrock; traces of gas 547 9 - 548 1 

Sandrock and traces of asphalt 548 1 - 552 1 

Shale, lignite, and sand 552 1 - 556 1 

Shale, sand, and decomposed asphalt 556 1 - 576 1 

Hard sandrock 576 1-581 1 

Shale or soapstone 581 1-587 1 

Black shale and sand ; signs of oil 587 1 - 617 1 

Oil sand; gas 617 1-620 1 

Brown shale 620 1-625 1 

Hard rock; sand 625 1-629 1 

Soft sandrock 629 1-633 1 

Shale, sand, and decomposed asphalt 633 1 - 702 1 

Sandrock 702 1-707 1 

Sandrock and asphalt 707 1 - 714 1 

Brown shale 714 1-716 1 

Sandrock 716 1-727 1 

Coarse oil sand and gas; from appearances, in paying 

quantities 727 7 - 755 7 

Soft shale 755 7-795 7 

Packed sand and lignite 795 7 - 807 7 

Brown-black shale 807 7-810 7 

1492G — wsp 335—14 8 



114 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Mount Selrnan and Wilcox formations — Continued. Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Shale, sand, and lignite 810 7-818 7 

Organic sand and asphalt 818 7-826 7 

' ' Crystallized organic sandrock " 826 7-835 7 

Oil sand ; strong show of oil 835 7-836 5 

Hard sand and asphalt 836 5-842 5 

Brown-black shale 842 5-844 5 

Asphalt, sandrock, and very hard 844 5 - 847 5 

Oil sandrock; strong showing of oil 847 5 - 851 5 

Brown shale 851 5 - 853 5 

Oil sandrock and gases 853 5 - 856 5 

Soft shale, sand; oil with strong indication of gas.. 856 5 - 860 5 

Hard rock and "crystallized " limestone 860 5 - 860 7 

Sandrock, full of oil 860 7-866 7 

Hard crystallized limestone 866 7 - 867 10 

"Organic oil sand;" in paying quantities 867 10 - 878 

' ' Crystallized asphaltic limestone " 878 - 885 4 

Oil sand, tapped 885 4-885 6 

ANGELINA COUNTY. 
GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

In Angelina County two important water strata, the lower Eocene 
and the Yegua formation, are available. 

Lower Eocene.— -The lower Eocene reservoir underlies the entire 
county, its water-bearing sands being struck at constantly increasing 
depths from north to south. In the northern portion wells can be 
completed at depths of 100 to 600 feet below sea level, and in the 
southern portion at depths of 1,000 to 2,000 feet below sea level. 
(See PL VIII, in pocket.) It is not advisable, however, to carry any 
well more than 1,500 feet below the surface, for the quality of the 
water will be unsatisfactory at greater depths. 

Flowing wells from the lower Eocene have been obtained near 
Piatt and 6 miles west of Lufkin. At Lufkin the water rose within 
20 feet of the surface (well Xo. 15). 1 Flows may be expected from 
the lower Eocene sands over the entire county, except possibly on the 
divide occupied by the St. Louis Southwestern Railway. (See 
PI. VIII.) It is doubtful if flowing wells, yielding potable water, 
will ever be encountered on the public square of Lufkin (altitude, 323 
feet above sea level). 

The water supplied by the lower Eocene in Angelina County is vari- 
able in quality. In wells not deeper than 700 feet it is generally 
potable and suitable for steaming (well Xo. 17), but in the immediate 
vicinity of Lufkin no supply suitable for the purpose has yet been 
developed. 

Yegua formation. — The central east-west belt of Angelina County 
is occupied by the outcrop of the Yegua formation. (See PI. I.) 
Flows are not to be expected in the outcrop area except in the lowest 
portions of the river bottoms (see PI. VII), though they may be 

1 Numbers refer to wells listed in the tables accompanying the county descriptions. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



115 



obtained in the southern portion of the county where the strata lie 
embedded beneath the impervious clays of the Jackson formation. 
(See wells Nos. 19 and 26.) The well at Diboll, close to the southern 
line of the outcrop (depth 470 feet), failed to now. (See PL VII.) 

North of Diboll the water-bearing sands of theYegua artesian system 
will always be encountered 100 to 200 feet below the surface, but they 
will not generally yield supplies that are abundant or hygienically sat- 
isfactory. At and near Diboll, wells can be completed at depths be- 
tween sea level and 400 feet below. In the southern portion of the 
county these sands can be reached at 500 to 1,000 feet below sea level. 

Water from the Yegua formation in Angelina County is not every- 
where satisfactory. At Diboll it was formerly utilized for steaming 
purposes, but is no longer so used. On the whole, it is inclined to 
be slightly sulphurous. At Burke it was found to be salty at not 
more than 500 feet below the surface; this condition, however, is 
local. Salt springs rise at the Graham saline in the southern portion 
of the county close to Neches River. (See spring No. 14.) 

Catahoula sandstone. — In the southern portion of the county (see 
PL I) the Catahoula sandstone outcrops but does not supply any 
flowing wells, because it is not under cover. 

WELL DATA. 

Detailed data on the wells of Angelina County appear in the fol- 
lowing table: 

Wells and springs in Angelina County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Survey, headright, 
or street. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


11 


Manton, 300 yards 
east of post of- 
fice. 

Piatt, 2£ miles 
west. 

Both sides of An- 
gelina River. 

Graham saline 




Angelina Orchard 
Co. 

A. P. Kimmey 




Angelina Orchard 


12 
13 


Bluford Mitchell 

survey. 
Nancy Lang league 


M. E. Fowler 


Co. 
A. P. Kimmey. 
A. C. Veatch.a 


14 






Do." 


15 


Lufkin 


Lot 3, block 83.... 

Center of Cotton 
Square. 


City of Lufkin 

do 


Gust Warnecke. . . 


Judge E. J. Man- 


16 


do 


tooth. 
Do. 


17 


Lufkin, 6 miles 

west. 
Lufkin, 1} miles 

north. 
Zavalla, 5 miles 

south-southeast. 
Mott, 6 miles 

northv.- est, near 

Angelina River. 
Mott, 1\ miles 

northwest of. 


Gulf Pipe Line Co. 




A. Deussen. 


18 




City of Lufkin 

Wm. Cameron & 

Co. 
EliGillins 


Layne & Bowler.. 

W. Wagner 

Savage Bros 


Do. 


19 


Edward Miller 
League. 


Do. 
Eli Gillins.a 


oo 




Do.o 


?3 








N. H. Darton.fi 


24 


Diboll 




Sawmill 


Layne & Bowler.. 


T. Y. Depoor. 


?5 


Windom 


East Texas R. R. 
survey. 

J. H. Graham sur- 
vey. 




E. T. Dumble. 


26 


Rockland, 2 miles 
north; \ mile 
northeast . of 
well No. 635. 


Kountze Bros. . . 




Do. 











a Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas: 
Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1906,p. 228. 

b Darton, N. II., Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States: Water-Supply Paper I . ?. 
Geol. Survey No. 149, 1905, p. 142. 



116 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
Wells and springs in Angelina County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to princi- 
pal water-bear- 
ing strata. 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below ( — ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


11 


Inches. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Galls. 


Galls. 
10 




10 


1,303 


176 


(430 to 456 


Flows 








I688to730 


do 






12 


]S60to901 


do 


















11,024 to 1,070 


+32.3 






13 








14 













15 


4 


1,200 


40, and others 


-20 






16 


4-3 


1,128 




No flow 






17 




530± 




530 


Flows 




Many. 


18 


6 


1,300+ 

1,169 


325± 
















/69to 175 


Flows 






19 


\1,165 


do 










312 






?1 




— 1 






?? 
















?3 




500 














14 


476 




[165 








?4 


J 325 


-22 










1,502 


170 


(470 




280 




as 












1,272 




[15 to 19 


No flow 








J530 to 572 


Flows 






26 


11,204 to 1,211 


do 


















U,249to 1,264 


do 















No. 



11 



16 



17 

18 

19 

.'1 
22 
23 

U 

2.3 

28 



Source of supply. 



Quality. 



Remarks. 



Soft Spring will be used for a water supply in the town 

'of Manton. 



(Wilcox Potablea 1 
::::do::::::::::::::::::::::do::::::::::::::::: Tem P erature ' 7 
do Sulphur o J 



8° F.; drilled for oil. 



Brine. 



Wilcox 




Wilcox and 
Selman. 

Wilcox 

f Catahoula 

\Yegua 



Mount 



Abandoned salt works; used during Civil War. 
Remains of 12 furnaces found. 

Springs. Abandoned salt works. 

Drilled in 1900; never used. Driller agreed to se- 
cure a flow of water, but failed to do so, at 1,200 
feet. City refused to accept well, and driller 
plugged it. Doubtless an adequate supply coidd 
be pumped. 

Drilled in 1S98; never completed. At 40 feet a 
stratum of white sand carried abundant water, 
but had been utilized by some citizens for sewage 
discharge. Contractor "agreed to sink 1,200 feet 
and get water rising within 10 feet of surface. A 
bit was caught in the hole, and driller aban- 
doned it. 

Completed in 1907. 

Water not suitable for boilers. 
JOU test well. 



Hard 

Good 

Slightly sulphur.. 

Salty I Oil test well; a little inflammable gas. 



!Yegua. 
....do. 
....do. 



(Catahoula . 
....do.... 
Yegua 
....do.... 



.do | Saltlick 

do Oil test well; abandoned. 



Soft. 



I Water not suitable for boilers; completed in 190S. 
Oil test well. 



Potable (?). 



■jj|j [well abandoned: oil test welL 



Warm and salt v. 



a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. HT 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

12. Section of A. P. Kimmey well, %\ miles west of Piatt, Tex. 

[By M. E. Fowler, contractor.] 

Cook Mountain, Mount Selman, and Wilcox formations: Feet. 

Soft red sand 0- 15 

Fine black sand, closely packed 15- 45 

Blue gumbo 45- 60 

Fossil rock, composed of fossils, "silicon," and pyrites 

of iron 60- 170 

White sand 170- 225 

Gumbo 225- 246 

Rock shale 246- 247 

Hard sandrock (set surface casing) 247- 290 

Blue and open shale 290- 300 

Gumbo 300- 397 

Rock 397- 399 

Soft shale and sand 399- 430 

White water sand; artesian flow 430- 456 

Shale rock, sand and shale 456- 474 

Soft rock 474- 482 

Shale 482- 496 

Rock 496- 499 

Shale, pyrites of iron, show of gas 499- 515 

Gumbo 515- 545 

Hard shale, shale rock, and pyrites of iron 545- 558 

Very hard rock 558- 559 

Hard shale 559- 563 

Rock 563- 567 

Gumbo 567- 572 

Soft rock 572- 603 

Shale 603- 620 

Gumbo 620- 635 

Shale 635- 688 

Soft sand ; artesian flow, show of gas 688- 750 

Hard sand 750- 770 

Gumbo 770- 778 

Shale 778- 813 

Rock 813- 814 

Shale 814- 844 

Soft rock 844- 848 

Brown clay 848- 860 

Sand, artesian flow 860- 901 

Shale, lignite, and pyrites of iron 901- 948 

Hard rock (set 6-inch casing at 950 feet) 948- 954 

Gumbo 954-1, 005 

Shale and sand 1, 005-1, 018 

Very hard rock, pyrites of iron, and sulphur 1, 018-1, 022 

Gumbo 1,022-1,023 

Rock 1, 023-1 , 024 

Shale and sand ; strong flow sulphur water 1, 024-1, 070 

Rock 1, 070-1, 078 



118 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Cook Mountain, Mount Selman, and Wilcox formation — 
Continued. Feet. 

Shale and pyrites 1, 078-1, 100 

Gumbo 1,100-1,110 

Soft shale 1, 110-1, 125 

Shale and pyrites of iron mixed 1, 125-1, 147 

Hard shale 1 , 147-1, 170 

Gumbo, shale, and pyrites 1, 170-1, 185 

Lignite 1, 185-1, 200 

Shale and pyrites 1, 200-1, 213 

Hard rock 1, 213-1, 217 

Shale, pyrites, and gumbo 1, 217-1 , 247 

Rock 1, 247-1, 248 

Shale and gumbo 1, 248-1, 303 

The 10-inch casing extends to 305 feet; water from it flows, probably from first 
horizon, 430 to 456 feet. The 6-inch casing extends to 950 feet, and from this water 
from the horizon 1,024 to 1,070 feet rises at least 32 feet above the ground. 

19. Section of tvell of Wm. Cameron & Co., Edward Miller League, 5 miles south- 
southeast of Zavalla, Tex. 

[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Catahoula, Jackson, and Yegua formations: Feet 

Blue clay 

Yellow clay 

Red clay 

Blue and gray sand 

Gray sand 

Blue and brown sand, showing oil 

Blue and gray sand 

Sandrock 

Quicksand (artesian water) 

Gumbo 

White sand 

Dark shale and gumbo 265- 

Rock 

Gumbo 

Rock 

Gumbo 

Soft rock 

Gumbo 

Rock 

Gumbo 

Shell 

Rock 

Gumbo 

Rock 

Gumbo 

Shell 

Rock 

Gumbo 

Rock 

Gumbo and shell 



0- 


2 


2- 


3 


3- 


7 


7- 


10 


10- 


16 


16- 


42 


42- 


62 


62- 


69 


69- 


195 


195- 


245 


245- 


265 


265- 


405 


405- 


408 


408- 


480 


480- 


482 


482- 


516 


516- 


518 


518- 


534 


534- 


535 


535- 


547 


547- 


551 


551- 


552 


552- 


564 


564- 


565 


565- 


593 


593- 


599 


599- 


622 


622- 


644 


644- 


660 


660- 


689 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN J 19 

Catahoula, Jackson, and Yegua formations — Continued. Feet. 

Rock 689- 710 

Gumbo 710- 732 

Packed sand 732- 735 

Gumbo 735- 775 

Rock bowlders 775- 776 

Gumbo 776- 792 

Hard packed sand 792- 796 

Rock 796- 815 

Red gumbo 815- 837 

Rock 837- 840 

Gumbo 840- 896 

Rock with sand 896- 900 

Gumbo 900- 960 

Rock 960- 962 

Gumbo 962-1,010 

Rock and sand 1, 010-1, 016 

Gumbo 1 , 016-1 , 040 

White clay 1, 040-1, 047 

Hard rock 1, 047-1, 051 

Red gumbo 1, 051-1, 062 

Gumbo 1, 062-1, 155 

Rock 1, 155-1, 163 

Water s.ind (sulphur water) 1, 163-1, 169 

25. Section of well at Windom (East Texas Railroad survey), Tex. 

[Furnished by E. T. Dumble.] 

Catahoula sandstone: Feet. 

Green sand and clay 0- 35 

Blue gumbo 35- 248 

Lignite, poor quality 248- 255 

Green shale 255- 335 

Dark gray sandrock 335- 340 

Green shale 340- 390 

Hard green sandrock 390- 400 

Green shale (?) 400- 460 

Blue gumbo 460- 765 

Dark gray sandrock 765- 791 

Jackson and Yegua formations: 

Blue gumbo 791-1, 000 

Green marl 1, 000-1, 205 

Green marl with hard strata 1, 205-1 , 502 

Formation names have been supplied by the author. 

26. Section of Kountze Bros, well, J. II. Graham survey , 2 miles north of Rockland, Tex. 

[Furnished by E. T. Dumble.] 

Catahoula, Jackson, and Yegua formations: Feet. 

Red clay '. 0- 15 

White water sand 15- 19 

Green sandrock 19- 30 

Dark-gray sand 30- 70 

Dark soft gray rock 70- 90 

Green shale , 90- 265 



120 GEOLOGY AND UN DEB GROUND WATKUS OF 

Catahoula, Jackson, and Yegua tormations — Continued. Feot. 

Blue gumbo 265- 320 

Green shale 320- 522 

White water sand 522- 530 

Green shale 530- 557 

Dark-gray sand and oil show 557- 567 

Green shale and shell 567- 750 

Dark-gray sand oil (blow-out) 750- 769 

Green shale with shell 769- 910 

Green marl 910-1, 055 

Green marl with shell 1, 055-1, 09S 

White sandrock 1, 098-1, 112 

Green marl shell 1, 112-1, 200 

Brown shale 1, 200-1, 204 

\Yhite sand with water 1, 204-1, 211 

Brown shale; lignite 1, 211-1, 230 

Sand and lignite 1, 230-1, 239 

Dark-gray shale 1, 239-1, 249 

Dark-gray sand, warm salt water 1, 249-1, 264 

Brown shale 1, 264-1, 272 

BRAZORIA COUNTY. 
GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

Only the half of Brazoria County east of Brazos River lies within 
the area included in this paper. 

Lissie gravel. — The relatively impervious Recent deposits and the 
Beaumont clay constitute the surface and the outcropping forma- 
tions. (See PI. I.) Beneath them lies the porous and prolific water- 
bearing Lissie gravel, which supplies flowing wells over practically 
the entire county. 

There is evidence that a fault crosses this county from Hoskins 
Mound, 4 miles south of Liverpool, to Kiser Heights, near Columbia. 
(See fig. 6.) The fault and the two mounds (Hoskins Mound and 
Kiser Heights) influence to some extent the quality of the water 
along this line, permitting saline supplies to rise to higher levels than 
in the adjacent regions. 

At Pearland a water-bearing sand in the Beaumont clay is struck 
at 92 feet. At Alvin water-bearing sands that yield potable water 
adapted for irrigation, steaming, and domestic use are met between 
300 and 1,000 feet below the surface. Four miles east of Liverpool 
potable water flows from sands at 750 and 805 to 870 feet. At 
Velasco salty flows are found in water-saturated sands at 450 to 
1,020 feet below the surface. Four miles weit of Velasco, however, 
a flow sufficiently fresh for domestic use is obtained at 550 feet. 

In a strip at least 6 miles wide along the coast only salty flows 
may be expected (pp. 122-125). On the mounds salt water may 
be expected at shallower depths than in the surrounding regions. At 






SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN 



121 



Bryan Heights water sufficiently fresh for domestic use may be had 
to a depth of 1,000 feet, but the shallower wells yield better sup- 
plies. At Hoskins Mound the water is comparatively fresh to SOO 
or 900 feet. At Amsterdam Mound the water is salty at 1,373 feet. 
No data are available as to the Kiser Heights supply, but water from 
below 700 feet will probably be salty. Except for the 6 to 8 mile 
strip along the coast and for the mounds along the fault line (fig. 6) 
good water from flowing wells can be obtained all over the county to 
depths ranging from 100 to 1,000 feet and perhaps to 1,500 feet. 
(See PI. VII.) 

Many of the wells of this county are used for rice and truck 
irrigation. 

WELL DATA. 



The details of the wells of Brazoria County appear in the following 

table : 

Wells and springs in Brazoria County, Tex. 



d 


Location. 


Survey, headright, 
or street. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


27 Alvin. 4 miles 




Rice farm 




J. A. Singley.& 

W. Weyant.c 

T. U. Taylor.d 
Do.d 


28 


north. 
Alvin, 12 miles 

south. 
Alvin 


Sec. 1, Austin 
League. 


W. Wevant 


A. S. Smith 


30 


do 








31 


Alvin. 3 miles 




H. L. Skeets 




Do.d 


southeast. 
32 Alvin. 8 miles 




W. J. Moore 




Do.d 


33 
34 


northwest. 
Alvin 




Gulf, Colorado & 

Santa Fe R. R. 

J. S. Daugherty... 




Do.d 


Alvin, 6 miles 






Do.<* 


35 


north. 
Alvin, 10 miles 

north. 
Alvin, 3 miles 

southeast. 
Alvin, 3 miles 

south. 
Alvin, 1\ miles 

southeast. 




do 




Do.d 


36 




R. Willis 




Do.ci 


36a 




H. Masterson 




Do.d 


36b 




E. B. Thomas 




Do.d 


36c 




W. H. Bush 




Do.d 


37 


Hoskins Mound... 

Hoskins Mound, 
between Choco- 
late and Bastrop 
bayous, south- 
east Brazoria 
County. 

Liverpool, 4 miles 
east. 

Angleton, 5 miles 
south. 


Lot 234 






Do.* 


38 








N. M. Fenneman./ 


39 

40 


S. F.Austin League 

McDermott 

League. 
John W. Bland 
League. 


D. Noble Rowan, 
trustee. 

Herrick & Vine- 
yard. 

W. C Stockton... 


BenC Taber 


D. Noble Rowan, 
trustee. 

E. E. White. 


41 




W. C Stockton. 


42 


do 


L. B. McMillan... 




T. J. McMillan, 


43 


Angleton, 7 miles 
southeast. 


J. M. Musquez sur- 
vey. 


F. Oberhelman 
Bros. & Brucker. 


Homer Horton... 


postmaster. 
F. Oberhelman. 



a For additional data, see notes at end of table. 

b Singley, J. A., Preliminary report on the artesian wells of the Gulf Coastal slope: Fourth Ann. Rept. 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1893, p. 105. 

c Fuller, M. L., and Sanford, Samuel, Record of deep-well drilling for 1905: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey 
No. 298, 1906, p. 154. 

d Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper tJ. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 21. 

« Taylor, T. XJ., op. cit.. pp. 23-24. 

/ Fenneman, N. M., Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survev No. 
282, 1906, p. 86. 



122 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Wells and springs in Brazoria County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 



44 

45 
M 

47 
48 
IS 
SO 

51 

sa 



53 
54 
55 



56 

57 



58 
58 

BO 
61 

62 

S3 

64 

65 

66 

67 

68 

69 

70 
71 
72 
73 
74 



77 



78 



Location. 



Survey, headright , 
or street . 



Owner. 



Angleton 

Angleton, 6 miles 

southeast. 

Angleton 

Angleton, 5 miles 

south. 
Angleton, 5£ miles 

southeast.* 
Angleton 



'.T.Austin League 



.do. 



Angleton, 6 miles 
northeast. 

Crossing of St. 
Louis. Mexico A: 
Brownsville Rail- 
way on Choco- 
late Bayou. 

Anchor, *3 miles 
northeast. 

Anchor, J mile 
mile northwest. 

Bryan Heights , 
flat on northwest 
side. 

Bryan Heights 

Bryan Heights, 10 
miles from 
mouth of Brazos 
River. 

Quintana 

Velasco, 6 miles 
west. 

Velasco 



E.E.White HomerUorton. 

R. YV. Stewart do 



Driller. 



C. E. Phelps. 
J. W.Heard. 



.do. 



C. Radelmiller • Homer Hort on.. 



New York & Tex- 
as Land Co. 

Brazos Vallev Oil 
Co. 

South Texas De- 
velopment Co. 



T. Jamison survey. 

George Robinson 
League. 



Velasco, 6 miles 

east. 
Velasco, 3 miles 

east. 
Velasco, 4 miles 

west. 

Velasco 

Velasco, 3 £ miles 

southwest. 
Velasco, 3£ miles 

southeast. 

Surfside 

Brazoria County, 

west of Brazos." 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Brazoria 

Manvel 

Arcadia, 9 miles 

south. 
Amsterdam 

Mound, west side 

of Chocolate 

Bayou, 7 miles 

north of Hoskins 

Mound. 
Perrys Landing, 5 

miles west. 
Pear land, J mile 

north. 



C. Brundrelt 

William Wacker . 
Reed 



Guy M.Bryan. 



E. D. Dorchester. 
S. H. Hudgins... 



....do 

J. P. Bryan. 
Oil mill site. 



C. H. Alexander. . 

E. D. Dorchester.. 
State farm 



do 

do 

....do 

do 

do 

do 

Brazoria County. 
E. M. Miller....".. 
A. B. Mayes 



S.E.Allen... 
W. T. Magee. 



M. T.Stallard.... 



Jef Roberts.. 
A. B. Young. 



J. F. Frederick- 
son. 



Gust Warnecke. . 



Wm. Largey. 



E. L. Wilson... 
C. P. Standard. 



Authority. 



F. Oberhelman. 
Do. 

Do. 
J. W. Heard. 

C. Radelmillor. 

Wm. Kennedy. a 

Do.a 

V. C. Mayes. 

T. E.Douthit. 



C. Brundrett. 
William Wacker. 
J. F. Fredericks^ i. 



N. M. Fenneman. & 
Do. b 



T.TJ. Taylor. c 
Do. c 

Do. c 

Do.' 

Do. c 

J. P. Bryan. 

T. U. Taylor. c 
N. H. Darton.<i 

E. P. Hoefle. 

J. A. Singlev.' 
T. TJ. Taylof.c 

Do. c 
Do. c 
Do. c 
Do. c 
Do. c 
Do. e 
Do. c 
Do. c 
V. C. Mayes. 

N. M. Fenneman./ 



E. L. Wilson. 
W. T. Magee. 



a Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain* Bull, U. S. 
Geol. Survey No. 212, 1903, p. 41. 

*> Fenneman, N. M., op. cit., p. 87 

c Taylor, T. U., op. cit., p. 21. 

<*Darton,N. H., Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States: Water-Supply Paper U. S. 
3eol. Survey No. 149, 1905, p. 144. 

< Singley, J. A., op. cit., p. 105. 

/ Fenneman, N. M., op. cit., p. 86. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 
Wells and springs in Brazoria County, Tex. — Continued. 



123 



No. 



Location. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Authority. 



si 
82 
83 

M 
85 



86 



SO 
90 



Genoa, 3 miles 

Sandy Point 

Sandy Point, 2 
miles northwest. 

Columbia 

Columbia, 2 miles 
west ( K i s e r 
Heights). 

Riser Hill 

Kiser Hill, 2 miles 
northwest of Co- 
lumbia. 

Columbia, 3 miles 
northwest. 

Do 

Do 



A. W. Wilkerson. 
Willis heirs 



Arnold 

Equitable Mining 
Co. 



J. S. Hogg estate. 



.do. 
.do. 



T. U. Taylor, o 
N. H. Darton.6 
T. U. Taylor. c 

Do.d 
Wm. Kennedy.* 



John Underwood./ 
Do.g 



T. U. Taylor, c 

Do.c 
Do.c 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 
elevation of 


Depth to princi- 
pal water-bearing 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




surface. strata. 


Pump. 


Flow. 


71 


Inches. 
2 


Feet. 
502 ...... 


Feet. 


Feet. 
502 


Feet. 
Flows 


Galls. 


Galls. 
70 


?8 


5 


1,509 




1,360 to 1,509 


+40 




62 5 


ffl 




1,000 










30 




1,000 












31 


6 


911 






Flows 




Few 


W, 




650 






do 






33 




700 












34 




300 












35 




300 












36 


3i 


785 






Flows 




Few 


36n 


6 


603 






do 






36h 


12 


772 












36c 




704 












37 




825 












38 




1,125± 


37 


1,125 










ft 


9Q 


(40 








39 


70 








2 


106 




1750 


+2 




305 






1805 to 870 

90 


Strong flow . . . 




Manv. 


40 


+3.5 




5. 


41 


2 


204 




20 to 100, 160 to 
204. 


—6 






42 


4 


100 










43 


2 


104 




20,40,100 


+rV- 


12 


5— 


44 




100 




Flows 




45 




100 






+1 




2 


46 




135 






No flow . 






47 


n 





12 (?) 


18,100... 


+ H. 




3 


48 


2 


100 


8(?) 


80 to 100 


+ 1. 




49 




600 










50 




1,500 














141 


717 


27| (?) 


(42 








51 


{370 


+2 










50 


[717 








.i2 


50.. 


Flows 






53 


4 


923 


25-30 (?) 

50(?) 


900... 


5+ 




10. 


54 


8 


140 


120... 


2— 






55 




611 


11 


611.. 


Flows 






56 






30 


450 to 500 


rln 






57 




1,000 ± 







a Taylor, T. U., Rice irrigation in Texas: Bull. Univ. Texas, No. 16, 1902, p. 27. 
b Darton, N. H., op. cit.,p. 143. 

c Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 21. 
d Idem, pp. 22-23. 

« Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, on. cit., p. 40. 
/ Fenneman, N. M., op. cit., pp. 80-83. 
g Idem, p. 88. 



124 



QB0L0G1 AMi UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
WeUa and spriyigs in Brazoria County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


TV-pih of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depth to princi- 
pal water-bearing 
strata. 


Head of water 

above (-f)or 

below ( — ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


58 


Inches. 
4 


Fut. 
640 


Fi(t. 


Feet. 


Feet. 

Flows... 


Galls. 


Gall*. 
60. 


59 


4 '. 


1,020 






do 




200. 


60 


8 


1,100 






do . 




720 


61 


2 


450 






do.. 






6? 


3 








do 








V 


550 






j 100 


\ 5 + 




90. 


63 








4 


600 


Flows 




64 




90 


65 




745.. 












m 






:; 


;:::; 


Flows . 






67 


4 


1,070 






do 




180. 


6fl 


10 


504 












Rfl 




365 












70 




950 












71 




800 












7? 




1,030 












73 




1,040.. 












74 




1,050 












75 


4 


1,100 












76 




1.200 














14| 


1,700 


8* (?) 


(67 


u 








J165 






1390 








1,373,1,499 
572 


16 


1 

Flows 








1917 




78 






70 


3 




300.572 


2+ 








4 


92 




(16 to 20 


No flow 






80 


\52to92 


do 


50 






S\ 


560 






81 








8? 




1,500 




1,000 


Flows 






83 




760 












84 




1,214 
















600± 


34 


(156 to 26S 


Flows 






85 


\600 


do 










490 




Manv. 


86 




do 






87 




680 






...do 






88 


10 


250 






....do 




100. 


S9 


10 


500 






...do 




100. 


90 


10 


700 






....do 




Few. 



















No. 



Source of supply. 



Quality. 



Remarks. 



27 
28 

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36 

36a 

36b 

36c 

37 

38 



Lissie Good 

do High in iron, magnesium, and hydro- 
gen sulphide, 
do ' 




Bait and sulphur. 



Completed, 1905. Drilled for oil. 

Oil test well. 
Do. 



Oil test well. 

Oil test well (No. 1). Three wells; 
same quality water in No. 2 at 980 
feet. Water comparatively fresh to 
800 or 900 feet. 

I Temperature 60° F. Completed April, 
1906. Oil test well put down by 
Brazoria Development Co.; con- 
verted into water well. 
Completed, 1907. 
Completed, 1904. 

Completed, 1906. 

Do. 

Do. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 
Wells and springs in Brazoria County, Tex. — -Continued. 



V2b 



No. 



4S 

49 
50 

51 

52 

53 

54 
55 

56 
57 



5S 
59 

eo 

61 

62 
63 

64 
65 

66 
67 
OS 
69 
70 
71 
72 
73 
74 
75 
76 

77 



79 
SO 

SI 
82 

^3 
S4 

85 

8G 



^7 
88 
89 
90 



Source of supply. 



Beaumont 



I Beaumont 

\Lissie 

Beaumont or Re- 
cent. 
Lissie 



Beaumont 

Beaumont (?). 

do.(?) 

Lissie 



Lissie (?).. 
,....do.(?) 



Beaumont (?). 
Beaumont 



I Beaumont. 
\Lissie 



Beaumont 

Recent and Beau- 
mont. 



Quality. 



High in iron . 



Soft. 



Soft. 



do 

Fresh 

do 

Fresh enough for domestic use. 



Saltv 
. . . .do. 



•lightly salty. 



Remarks. 



On Bastrop Bayou. Completed, 1906. 

Drilled for oil. 

•Danbury, Tex. Completed, 1907. 

Temporary well put down by railroad 

construction crew. 
Used for garden irrigation. Completed, 

1906. 
Completed, 1904. 
Oil test well. 
Several wells. 
Several wells; those half as deep yield 

better water; upper Miocene fossils 

at 649 to 668 feet. 



[Used for drinking. Water from 100 
I feet rises within 12 feet of surface. In 
I this localitv sulphur water is found 
[ at 800 feet.* 

Strong gas flow from limestone at 745 

feet caused abandonment. 
On beach. 



Soft. 



Salty. 

Soft. . 
Hard. 



Lissie 



i Beaumont (?). 
\Lissie 



Mouth of Halls Bayou; completed in 
1906. Supply has increased. 

Oil test wells; several wells have been 
drilled. 

Completed in 1907. 



Used for rice irrigation. 
Oil test well. 

Oil test well (No. 3). 
Drilled for oil. Show of gas. 

Oil well (No. 2); flow of oil from 480 
feet. Four wells have been drilled 
in search of oil at Kiser Hill. 

Oil test well (No. 1). 



126 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES 

37. Section of well on lot 234, Hoskins Mound (midway between Yelasco and Alvin), Tex. 

Beaumont clay and Lissie gravel: Feet - 

Black surface clay 0- 4 

Pale-blue clay 4-12 

Red clay 12-25 

Yellow loamy sand, rather fine 25-45 

Blue gumbo 45 - 85 

Blue quicksand S5 -130 

Blue clay filled with small white shells 130 -152 

Blue quicksand 152 -172 

Blue gumbo, very tough 172 -233 

Blue sand, fine grained, with black specks; first indica- 
tions of oil 233 239 

Sand, with some clay 239 -378 

Blue sand, coarse, with black specks: some oil near bot- 
tom 378 -123 

Blue clay, with some small shells 423 —165 

Coarse blue sand, with black specks 465 -500 

Blue sand, with some brown layers: contains iron pyrite 

and some small shells 500 -530 

Soft blue clay, with small shells 530 -535 

Blue clay, with larger shells 535 -555 

Blue clay, with few shells 555 -580 

Blue gumbo, very tough, shells 5S0 -595 

Tough blue clay, with few shells 595 -_ 2 - 

Blue sand, with gravel and some shells G2S -632^ 

Blue sand, with coarse black particles 632^-642^ 

Blue clay, with large shells 642^-654 

Blue clay, with shell fragments 6-54 -674 

Blue sand, gravel with black particles; considerable gas. 674 -684 
Blue sand, with many black particles; good show of oil 

from 6SS to 692 feet 6S4 -692 

Bluish sand, coarse; shows oil saturation 692 -711 

Tough blue clay, containing shells 711 -720 

Tough blue gumbo, containing bowlders 720 -722 

Blue clay and sand ; show of oil 722 -728 

Blue clay, with thin layers of sandstone 72 S -735 

Tough blue gumbo 735 -755 

Blue gumbo, with thin layers of sandstone and limestone. 755 -778 

Blue sand, with iron pyrites; some show of oil at 778 feet. 77- -7 
Tough blue gumbo, with thin layers of sandstone and 

limestone; considerable iron pyrites 753 -786 

Blue gumbo, with shells 7S6 -793 

Sand, with iron pyrites; "oil show" 793 -794 

Tough blue gumbo 794 -799 

Very hard blue clay, with rock 2 to 6 feet thick, mostly 

limestone 799 -S25 

38. Three wells have been drilled here, all of which give indications of oil and gas. 
Samples of consolidated rock from these wells consist of sandstone cemented by car- 
bonate of lime. Thin plates of limestone are reported. At 610 feet in well No. 2 and 

at 750 feet in No. 1 thick beds of marl were found. This material is sticky- when wet 
and chalky when dry, is highly calcareous, and has little grit. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 127 

39. Section of Brazoria Development t'o.'s well on S. F. Austin League, 4 miles east of 

Liverpool, Tex. 

[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Beaumont clay and Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Clay 0- 18 

Sand 18- 45 

Clay 45- 67 

Sand, gas showing 67- 112 

Gumbo , 112- 155 

Hard shale 155- 165 

Gumbo 165- 240 

Hard shale 240- 250 

Gumbo 250- 325 

Red clay, shell, sand, and gravel 325- 345 

Gumbo 345- 355 

Shell 355- 366 

Gumbo and red clay in streaks 366- 390 

Gumbo 390- 515 

Blue shale 515- 545 

Gumbo 545- 660 

Shale and shell 660- 666 

Gumbo 666- 704 

Shale 704- 709 

Sandrock 709- 710 

Gumbo and shale 710- 720 

Sand, fine and black 720- 760 

Shale 760- 780 

Sand 780- 795 

Shale 795- 805 

Water sand 805- 870 

Gravel 870- 882 

Gumbo 882- 896 

Shale 896- 910 

Gumbo 910- 915 

Shale and shell 915- 920 

Gumbo and shell 920- 950 

Gumbo 950- 980 

Shale 980- 990 

Gumbo 990-1, 020 

Red and blue clay shale 1, 020-1, 060 

Shale 1, 060-1, 070 

Gumbo, shale, and shell 1, 070-1, 105 

Shell rock 1, 105-1, 115 

Soft gumbo 1,115-1,120 

Shale 1, 120-1, 122 

Shell rock 1, 122-1, 150 

Shale 1, 150-1, 154 

Soft gumbo 1,154-1,205 

Shell-rock gumbo 1, 205-1, 207 

Gumbo (?) 1, 207-1, 219 



128 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

48. Mr. C. iladelmiller writes as follows: 

"The well I describe is about as deep as any within a radius of 10 miles. In this area 
the water stratum is perhaps 20 feet thick, and is found over several square miles. 

Above this water stratum the formation is more local. In my well it was clay all the 

way down. Just across the bayou. 200 feet distant, the formation was sand about half 
way down. At other places a stratum of sand was found at about 20 feet. * * * 
Deep wells for irrigation have not yet been tried in this vicinity." 

55. Section of Reed veil, Bryan Heights, Tex. 

[By J. F. Frederickson, driller.] 

Recent deposits. Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel (?): Feet. 

Black surface (asphaltic specks) 0-30 

Yellow clay 30-42 

Quicksand 42- 62 

Yellow clay 62-87 

Black clay 87-92 

Black clay, reddish spots of ' ' decomposed iron " 92-162 

Black clay: minute white shells 162-189 

Quicksand 189-210 

First sign of gas in blue quicksand 210-226 

Black clay, •"decomposed lime and iron " 226-244 

Black clay and shale 244-247 

Black shale and sand 247-275 

Black shale 275-330 

Black shale, some gravel; at 365 feet were 4 inches of 

rock, very hard 330-345 

Soft black clay, ' ' decomposed iron " 345-405 

Soft blue clay, yellow clay mixed 405-467 

Yellow clay, sand, and shale 467-549 

Oil sand, pebbles, and shale: very coarse 549-557 

Yellow clay, sand, and shale 557-587 

Hard rock, probably sandstone 587-589 

Oil sand, large pebbles, some oil 589-591 

Gravel and flint 591-595 

Black clay, with shale 595-597 

" Flint, " twisted off pipe here 597-598 

Pipe dropped suddenly 13 feet after drilling 2 days on a 

very hard rock 598-611 

84. Section of Arnold well No. J. Columbia, Tex. 

Feet. 

Surface soil. clay, and sand - 85 

Rock 85 - 85. 5 

Sand 85. .5- 88 

Rock 88 - 89.5 

Oil sand 89.5- 118 

Clay 118 - 150 

Rock 150 - 158 

Blue clay 158 - 192 

Soft rock 192 - 196 

Sand 196 - 210 

Soft rock 210 - 212 

Blueclay 212 - 218 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 129 

Feet. 

Soft rock 218 - 219 

Blue clay 219 - 260 

Sof t limerock 260 - 261 

Blue clay, very tough 261 - 275 

Rock; hard layer at 294 feet contains some gas 275 - 299 

Hard rock.... '. 299 - 315 

Crystallized sand 315 - 328 

Blue clay 328 - 333 

Rock 333 - 338 

Sand 338 - 343 

Blue clay 343 - 346 

Compact sand , 346 - 354 

Clay 354 - 368 

Rock 368 - 370 

Clay 370 - 395 

Softrock 395 - 397 

Blue clay 397 - 405 

Rock 405 - 406 

Blue clay.. 406 - 428 

Crystallized sand 428 - 462 

Blue clay, very hard and oil-saturated 462 - 484 

Softrock 484 - 486 

Blue clay 486 - 510 

Sand, very compact 510 - 532 

Rock, full of pyrites and shell 532 - 534 

Sand, very compact 534 - 574 

Hard rock, conglomerate, pyrites, and lime; rock sul- 
phur and shell 574 - 582 

Hardblueclay 582 - 620 

Rock pyrites, sulphur, lime, "volcanic crystals," and 

oil saturations 620 - 628 

Blue clay 628 - 632 

Rock with sand.. 632 - 651 

Sand 651 - 657 

Rock 657 - 675 

Hard rock 675 - 676 

Sand 676 - 678 

Very hard rock 678 - 680 

Sand, color of oil 680 - 681 

Rock, very hard 681 - 682 

Sand 682 - 691 

Blue clay 691 - 719 

Sand 719 - 723 

Blue clay 723 - 729 

Oil sand 729 - 734 

Blue clay 734 - 800 

Sand 800 - 835 

Shell, with some little showing of oil 835 - 857 

Blue clay, very thin strata full of shell 857 - 858 

Sand 858 - 870 

Blue clay 870 - 906 

"Crystallized" sand 906 - 926 

14926°— wsp 335—14 9 



130 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Page. 

Rock 926 - 936 

Blue clay 936 - 943 

Sand 943 - 970 

Soft sandstone 970 - 971 

Hard sandstone 971 - 973 

Clay 973 - 939 

Sand 989 -1,002 

Hard rock 1, 002 -1, 004 

Sand, fairly firm, contains fossil wood 1, 004 -1, 012 

Hard clay 1, 012 -1, 050 

Sand with little gas 1, 050 -1, 110 

Blue clay 1, 110 -1,115 

Sand ' 1,115 -1, 136 

Soft rock or compact sand 1, 136 -1, 214 

Clay, blue with a greenish cast. 

Although no division of the record is possible, the Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and 
possibly the marine Miocene are indicated. Most of the "rock" reported is a sand 
cemented by carbonate of lime; but a little of it is limestone. The "gumbo " is a very 
sticky clay. 

85. Section of Equitable Mining Co.'s well at Kiser Heights, about 2 miles west of 

Coluvibia, Tex. 
Beaumont clay: Feet. 

White clay 0-2 

Red clay 2 - 10 

Gray sand 10 - 25 

White clay 25 - 25J 

Quicksand 25£- 50 

Yellow clay 50-60 

Quicksand 60-61 

Gray sand 61-84 

Lignite, with logs 84 - 90 

White clay 90 -105 

Soapstone (clay) 105 -120 

Blue shale 120 -134 

Blue clay 134 -152 

Rock and gas 152 -156 

Blue sand and clay with thin streaks of rock; water in rock. 156 -268 

Rock 268 -269 

Sand 269 -270 

Blue clay : 270 -288 

Hard rock 288 -295 

Blue clay 295 -314 

Quicksand and gas 314 -320 

Blue shale, with some oil 320 -358 

Rock, with black particles 358 -359 

Oil sand 359 -360 

Blue sand 360 -380 

Sand 380 -424 

Sand 424 -500 

Rock, with some oil; water 500 



SOUTHEASTER TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 131 

86. Section of well No. 2 at Riser Hill, 2 miles west of Columbia, Tex. 

[By John Underwood.] 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie (?) gravel. Feet. 

Soil 0- 2 

White clay 2- 10 

Red clay 10-25 

Sand 25-26 

White clay 26- 60 

Sand, with streaks of clay 60-105 

White clay 105-119 

White clay, very hard 119-134 

Blue clay 134-150 

Sandstone 150-151 

Clay and sand alternating 151-210 

Sandstone 210-211 

Blue clay 211-220 

Sandstone, limestone, some shells, pyrite, and sulphur 

crystals 220-222 

Blue clay 222-245 

Blue limestone, very hard, containing sulphur crystals 

and some pyrite 245-314 

Sand and shells 314-320 

Blue clay 320-340 

Sand showing some oil 340-346 

Limestone ; set 6-inch casing here 346-347 

Material not given 347-354 

Blue clay 354-362 

Sand, with some showing of oil 362-364 

Blue porous or cavernous limestone (specimen seen), 

blow-out of gas and oil 364-370 

Clay 370-376 

Oil sand 376-380 

Clay 380-401 

Hard limestone, mostly shells 401-402 

Compact sand, small blow-out at 436 feet 402-436 

Hard clay 436-458 

Oil sand; good lubricating oil found at 480 feet 458^490 

Rock 490 

The water was lost in the porous limestone between 364 and 370 feet. This phe- 
nomenon is very common in the Coastal Plain. It indicates that the pressure of the 
water in the stratum is less than that of the column of water supplied artificially to 
the well as an aid in the drilling. The stratum absorbs the water supplied from the 
surface and will not yield water under sufficient pressure to rise above the surface. 

This well flowed lubricating oil for 16 months from the oil sand at 476 feet. 

87. Section of well No. 1 at Kiser Hill, 2 miles northwest of Columbia, Tex. 

[By John Underwood.] 

Feet. 

Similar to well No. 2; good showing of oil at 388 0-388 

Alternating sand and clay 388-458 

Blue shale with sand below containing good show of oil 458-478 

Sand , 478-498 



132 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Gray rock 498-500 

Material not mentioned; it contains gas in large quantities, 

with some globules of oil 500-505 

Rocks, shells, and wood, with showing of oil 505-510 

White rock saturated with oil 510-512 

Gray rock impregnated with something yellow, either oil or 

sulphur, and containing black particles 512-537 

Blue clay 537-544 

Rock, sandstone, or limestone; not determined 544-548 

Black clay 548-5G4 

Gray rock with pyrite ; strong gas pressure 564-576 

Blue clay ; strong gas pressure 576-584 

Gray limestone with sulphur and strong gas pressure 584—588 

Very fine loose sand with oil alternating in thin layers with 

rock; strong blow-out of gas at 603 feet 588-616 

Soft rock, with some sulphur 616-664 

Black rock called limestone; the water was lost at this depth 

and the hole abandoned 664-680 

Water in this well was found under strong artesian pressure, and continued to flow, 
accompanied by considerable gas, The formations penetrated represent the Beau- 
mont clay and Lissie (?) gravel. 

BRAZOS COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

Three artesian reservoirs, the lower Eocene, the Yegua, and the 
Catahoula, supply the wells of Brazos County (see Pis. VII and VIII, 
in pocket) and yield flowing wells in the Brazos bottoms. In the 
northern half of the county most wells draw from the lower Eocene 
reservoir, and in the southern half the majority draw from the Yegua 
and the Catahoula. 

Lower Eocene. — The lower Eocene reservoir underlies the whole 
county. In the Brazos bottoms, between Steeles Store and Stone 
City and between Little Brazos and Brazos rivers, it lies 200 to 400 feet 
below the surface and is therefore easily available to every householder 
and planter in the district. In this area about 50 flowing wells yield 
water for drinking, washing, stock, and steaming. 

In the northern corner of the county the lower Eocene reservoir is 
reached by wells that penetrate from 40 feet below the surface to 
600 feet below sea level, but flows probably can not be obtained. 
Southward the depths to the lower Eocene increase, until in the 
vicinity of College a well would have to go 700 feet below the surface 
to enter them, and 2,100 feet below to penetrate to the underlying 
rocks. It is doubtful if water from wells exceeding 2,000 feet in depth 
would be satisfactory either for steaming or for irrigation. 

Yegua formation. — South of Stone City water from the lower 
Eocene is not at present used because equally good supplies can be 
obtained at less depths from the Yegua reservoir. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



133 



The central east-west belt of the county is occupied by the out- 
crop of the Yegua formation covered with a veneer of Quaternary 
gravels and alluvium. (See PL I.) The Yegua supplies most of the 
wells of Brazos County except in the Brazos bottoms between Steeles 
Store and Stone City. Flows from the Yegua are confined to the 
valleys. (See PL VII.) 

In the northern portion of the county, in the vicinity of Bryan, 
the sands of the Yegua formation are generally reached at shallow 
depths, lying from sea level to 100 feet above. The basal sands lie 
deeper toward the south, reaching approximately 300 feet below sea 
level in the vicinity of College. 

Water obtained from the Yegua is adapted for all ordinary uses. 
At Bryan, where an improvement in quality has been noted, it is 
utilized for steaming. 

Catahoula sandstone. — In the southern portion of the county, the 
Catahoula sandstone will yield potable water in wells 200 to 1,000 
feet deep. 

WELL DATA. 

The details of the Brazos County wells appear in the subjoined 

table : 

Wells and springs in Brazos County, Tex. 



No. 



Location. 



Survey, headlight, 
or street. 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Authority. 



91 



92 

93 
94 



95 
96 
97 

98 

99 
100 
101 
102 

103 

104 
105 
106 



College Station. 



.do. 



Agricultural and 
Mechanical 
College. 

do 



Harvey. 
Bryan.. 



Bryan, 3 miles 

northwest. 
Bryan 



C S. Jones .. 

Bryan Water, Ice 

& Electric Light 

Co. 



I. P. Nelson. 



Bryan, 4 blocks 
northeast of post 
office. 

Bryan, f mile 

north. 

Steeles store 

do 

do 

Stone City, 25 

yards southeast 

of post office. 
Stone City, 120 

feet west of post 

office. 
Stone City, 1 mile 

northeast. 
Stone City, 2 miles 

northeast. 
Stone City, f mile 

northeast. 



Upper Cheapside 
Street, between 
Caldwell and 
Moseley. 



Bryan Press Co. 



Bryan Water, Ice, 
Light & Power 
Co. 

Bryan Cotton Oil 
Co. 

Robert Adams 

Henry B. Steele.. 



B i g e 1 o w 
McMahon. 



Jack Doss. . . 
C. A. Glenn. 



William Mothess 
survey. 



J. D. Sanders. 
J. J. C. Carters. 
C. A. Harris.. 



& 



Peter Hill 

Wm. Clark 

do 



A. H. Eaves 



Wm. Kennedy .<* 



S. E. Andrews, 

secretary. 
I. P. Nelson. 
J. A. Singley.& 



Wm. Kennedy .« 

W. Wippricht, 
manager. 

T.J. Preston, man- 
ager. 



J. Webb Harrell. 

Robert Adams. 
Henry B. Steele. 
Wm. Kennedy .<» 
Sam Wilson. 



C. A. Glenn. 

J. D. Sanders. 
J. J. C. Carters. 
C. A. Harris. 



a Kennedy, William, Report on Grimes, Brazos, and Robertson counties: Fourth Ann. Rept. Geol. 
Survey Texas (1892), 1893, p. 58. 

b Singley, J. A., Preliminary report on the artesian wells of the Gulf Coastal slope: Fourth Ann. Rept. 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1893, p. 111. 



134 



GEOLOtJY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
ir< Us and springs in Brazos County, Tec. — Continued. 



No. 



107 
108 

109 

110 

111 
112 

113 

114 

115 
116 

117 

118 
119 

120 



Location. 



Survey, headlight, 

or street. 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Stone City 

College Station. 



Navasota, 6 miles 

west. 
Tabor, 2 miles 

north. 

A lien farm 

Allenfarm, 1 mile 

Allenfarm 

Allenfarm, 2 miles 

south. 
Wellborn, 2\ miles 

south. 
Allenfarm, 2 miles 

east. 
Wellborn, 5 miles 

south. 

Wellborn 

Wellborn, 5 miles 

southwest. 
West bank Xava- 

sota River. 



Houston oc Texas 

Central R. R. 
Templeton & 

Foster. 
J. S. Francis 



John D. Rogers. . . 
do 



W.J. Terrell.... 
John D. Rogers.. 



William McWil- 

luin? survey. 
J. Grayheadright. . 



A.B.Welch 

W.L.Steele 

Thos. H. Royder. 

Thos. R.Batte... 
Robert F. Smith. 



Wm. Clark. 
Arch Eaves 



A. II. Eaves. 



A: H. Eaves. 



J. T. Eaves. 
Arch Eaves. 



Authority, 



J. A. Singlev.a 
7. U. Taylor. 6 

Do. 

J. S. Francis. 

T. U. Taylor.b 
Do. 

Postmaster. 
A. II. Eaves. 



A.B.Welch. 

W. L. Steele. 

Thos. U. Royder. 

Thos. R.Batte. 
Robert F. Smith. 

Wm. Kennedy, c 



Xo. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to princi- 
pal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


91 


Inches. 


Feet. 

1,400 

352 

165 

(?)190 


Feet. 

350 

350 


Feet. 
700 


Feet. 

-inn 


Galls. 


Galls. 


9? 


6 to 4 


331-352 


Xo flow 




93 


10 


95 


do 






94 


6 




— i4n. . 




95 










96 




150 

160 

292 

4S0 

400 

330 

43n 

400 


170 



253 


135 


— sn 






8 


(40 


1-4 en 

-SO 17 

Flows 




97 


ko 






5 


[132 




98 


232 








[235 




99 


|350 


do 








2 


[480 


do 


.1 




1225 


+ 15 






inn 


{(?) 










(375 


Flows 


4 to 5. 




/230 


do 


Flows. 


mi 


1 


\330 








2 


Do. 


w> 


430 




Flows 




103 


1 




+8 




104 


1 


316 


300 


+4 




105 


1 


400 




395 


-4 






106 


1 


400 




200,400 

230 


+ 10 




3\ to 4. 


107 


1 


230 




Flows 






108 




1,005 










109 








Flows 






110 


2 


225 

900 

1,300 

800 




200 


—50 






111 




Flows 






112 
113 




...do 






3 








114 


2 


1,000 




+30+ 


.... 




115 














116 


3£ 


289 




289 


+25 







117 
















u 


900 




/in to 3nn 


+ 15 






118 








119 


2 


345 




325 


+5 






1?0 






















1 







a Singlev. J. A., Preliminary report on the artesian wells of the Gulf Coastal slope: Fourth Ann. Rept. 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1893, p. 111. 

b Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper TJ. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 62. 1 

c Kennedy, William, Report on Grimes, Brazos, and Robertson counties: Fourth Ann. Rept. Geol. 
Survey Texas (1892), 1893, p. 58. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 
Wells and springs in Brazos County, Tex. — Continued. 



135 



No. 


Source of supply. Quality. 


Remarks. 


91 


Cook Mountain 


Good 


Fossils from 900 to 1,000 feet determined 
as early Claiborne. 


q9 


Yegua 




93 


. do. 


Hard 




94 




Fair 




9=) 




Mineral 


Shallow wells; known as Manganic 
wells. 

Water seems to have changed within 
the last 12 months from an indif- 
ferent, or rather not good, boiler 
water to one that keeps boiler free 
from excessive scale. 

Completed, 1907; No. 3 well; public 
supply. 

Used in boilers. Passed through three 
or four sandrocks; some little coal. 
Another well at gin flows about 5 
gallons a minute. 

Lignite encountered. 

Completed, 1886. 


% 


Yegua. . 


Good 


97 


do 


Iron 


98 


Cook Mountain 


Hard 


99 


Mount Selman 


Soft 


mo 


do 


do 


101 


do 


Good 


In Brazos bottom. 


10? 


do 






103 


do 


Soft 


Used for irrigating garden; completed, 

1892. 
Completed, 1894. 
Completed, 1907. 
Completed, 1897. 


104 


Mount Selman (?) 


do 


105 


do 


...do 


10ft 


Cook Mountain and Mount Selman 


do 


107 


Cook Mountain (?) 


Fairlv good 


108 






103 








110 


Cook Mountain (?) 


Soft 


Completed, 1907. 


111 






11? 








na 




Salty 




114 








115 




Soft 


Minter Spring. 
In Brazos bottoms. 


lift 


Catahoula 


Strong sulphur 

Soft 


117 




Carter Springs. 
Used for stock, etc. 




1 Yegua 


do 


118 


\Cook Mountain 




Strong flow of gas. 

Used for drinking; flow of gas. In 

Brazos bottoms. 
Boiling or Sulphur Springs; a local 


119 


Yegua (?) 


Slighty salty 

Sulphur 


1?0 










resort. 



136 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

92. Section of tlie new well at the Agricultural and Mechanical College, College Station, 

Tex. 

[Furnished by S. E. Andrews, secretary.] 
Yegua formation : Feet. 

Yellow-brown clay shale 0- 55 

Hard gumbo or blue clay 55- 75 

Hard blue clay shale 75-125 

Strata of hard limestone (?) and hard clay 125-132 

Hard blue clay shale 132-136 

Hard limestone 136-152 

Hard clay shale 152-159 

Hard limestone 159-165 

Hard clay shale 165-178 

Hard limestone (?) 178-208 

Softer rock 208-213 

Hard rock 213-218 

Softer rock 218-223 

Hard rock 223-239 

Hard blue clay 239-254 

Hard blue shale 254-297 

Rock 297-301 

Hard clay shale 301-312 

Hard rock 312-315 

Hard blue clay shale 315-322 

Hard rock. . . 322-331 

Clay and sand s 331-352 

The "rock'' reported in this well is chiefly sandstone. 

106. Mr. C. A. Harris, of Bryan, Tex., writes: "At about 200 feet a flow of oil was 
found, but after passing through this a stratum of blue soapstone was found; then a 
kind of fine shell formation, about 10 feet or more; afterwards a yellow-colored clay 
until I struck water at about 400 feet. There was quicksand at about 150 feet." 

The upper part of this section, including the " shell formation, " represents the Cook 
Mountain formation. The lower part, including the water-bearing sand, represents 
the Mount Selman formation. 

108. Section of Houston & Texas Central Railroad well at College Station, Tex. 

Yegua, Cook Mountain, and Mount Selman formations: Feet. 

Surface blue clay 0- 25 

Rock 25- 28 

Blue clay 28- 60 

Rock 60- 61 

Blue marl 61- 105 

Lignite 105- 106 

Blue marl 106- 145 

Rock 145- 147 

Blue marl with some layer of rock 147-1,005 

BURLESON COUNTY. 

Burleson County is not included in the territory covered by this 
report, but the following partial list of its wells is added for the light 
they throw on the artesian conditions prevailing in the adjoining 
county of Brazos: 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 
Wells and springs in Burleson County, Tex. 



137 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Authority. 


Depth of 
well. 


1 9 1 


Whittaker, 5 miles north 

Clay . . 


William Koppe 


J. A. Singley a 


Feet. 
870 


1?9 




T. U. Taylor b 


638 


19^ 


Clay, 3 miles east 


J. W. Coulter 


J. W. Coulter 















No. 


Head of water ^t^wS- 11 " 
above ground. | ^gTtrata. 


Flow per 
minute. 


Source of supply. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


1?1 


Feet. 
Flows 


Feet. 


Gallons. 
28 

1 




Excellent . 

Good c 

Salty 


In Brazos bottom. 


1 9 2 




(420 to 480 

J608to613 


Yegua 




1?3 


Flows 


1 632 to 636 

1647-687 


1 








1 









a Singley, J. A., Preliminary report on the artesian wells of the Gulf Coastal slope: Fourth Ann. Rept. 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1893, p. 111. 

b Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper TJ. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 61. 

c For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

122. Section of well at Clay, Tex. 

Recent: Feet. 

Soil 0- 15 

Catahoula sandstone and Yegua formation: 

Clay 15-28 

Rock 28- 41 

Sand 41-67 

Lignite 67-74 

Blue "granite " (probably sandstone) 74- 88 

Blue sand 88-124 

Gray sand rock 124-161 

Lignite 161-169 

Blue limestone rock 169-185 

Sand 185-188 

Gray sand rock 188-197 

Soapstone 197-217 

Rock 217-220 

Soapstone 220-249 

Fine blue sand 249-254 

Blue " limestone " (sandstone) 254-261 

Soapstone 261-271 

Rock 271-282 

Soapstone 282^20 

Fine water sand 420-480 

* Soapstone 480-525 

Close blue sand with lignite and soapstone 525-608 

Water sand 608-613 

Lignite and soapstone 613-632 

Water sand 632-636 

Soapstone and sand 636-647 

Water sand 647-687 

Rock 687-688 



138 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

CHAMBERS COUNTY. 
GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The surface forma lion of Chambers County is the Beaumont clay, 
in places veneered by recent sand. (See PI. I.) The entire count} is 
underlain by the Lissie reservoir, wlrich produces flowing wells prac- 
tically everywhere. 

At Cedar Bayou, which has a low altitude, flows are obtained at 
a depth of 60 feet. At Stowell a flow is obtained from a water-bear- 
ing sand in the Beaumont clay at 180 feet. Aery few wells in the 
county are more than 500 feet deep. 

Along the coast the water from nearly all depths is salty and 
unfit for use, though fresh water was reported in the Big Four well 
No. 1 at High Island at a depth of 180 feet. High Island is a typical 
Coastal Plain mound in which salt water has ascended from lower- 
lying formations. Much of the mineral originally in solution has 
been precipitated, forming deposits of salt and gypsum. (See wells 
Nos. 150 and 151.) Five miles west of High Island (well No. 146) 
fresh water was struck at 300 feet and water suitable for stock at 876 
feet. (See PI. VII, in pocket.) 

Barring the district included in the 7 to 10 mile strip along the 
coast and that adjacent to Barbers Hill, which appears to be another 
mound, flowing wells yielding adequate and suitable domestic and 
industrial supplies can probably be had over the entire county at 
depths not exceeding 600 to 800 feet. As a general rule water from 
greater depths will be brackish if not salty, though the depth at 
which good supplies can be obtained increases toward the interior. 
The deeper wells yield larger supplies than the shallower ones, both 
by natural flow and by pumping. At 600 to 800 feet, however, 
sufficient quantities will always be available. 

Many of the artesian wells of this county are used for irrigating 
rice fields. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



139 



WELL DATA. 



A detailed list of the wells of Chambers County appears in the fol- 

Wells and springs in Chambers County, Tex. 



lowing table 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


r>4 


Stowell, near 


Davidson 




T. TJ. Taylor.o 
R. P. Carroll. 


1?5 


StoweJ, U miies east 

Stowed . .". 


R. P. Carrod 


Coffee Well Works Co. 


r>6 


Pelham C arro A 


Postmaster. 


1 9 7 


Cedar Bayou, 2 mij.es east 
do 


N. Schillin- 




N. Schilling. 
Do. 


1?8 


do 




19q 


Cedar Bayou, 1§ miles 

south. 
Wallisville, J mile west . . 
Wallisville, J mile west . 

Barbers Hill 


E. R. Kilgore 


R. J. Tompkins 

Gust Warnecke 

do 


John M. Kilgore. 
J. D. Clinton. 


ISO 


J. W. Cook 


131 
13? 


C. R. Cummings Export 

Co. 
Higgins Oil & Fuel Co.. 


R. J. Burns. 

Patillo Higgins.fr 
Sol Donnelly. 

T. TJ. Taylor .o 
Do. a 


133 


Mount Belvieu, 4 miles 

south. 
Mount Belvieu 




B . Donnelly 


134 


E. AV. Barber 




135 


Mount Belvieu, 10 miles 

south. 
Cedar Bayou 


Mat Fisher 




136 


J. C. Fisher 




Do. a 


137 


Mount Belvieu, 3 miles 
south. 

Mount Belvieu, 5 miles 
south. 

Anahuac, 4 miles north 
(2 wells). 

Anahuac, 30 yards north- 
west from post oliice. 

Double Bayou, 10 miles 
east. 

Double Bayou 


Barney Donnelly 




Do. a 


138 


Amos Lawrence 




Do. a 


139 


C. R. Cummings &. Co. . 




Do. a 


140 


W. D.Wilcox 


Gust Warnecke 

do 


R. E. Swinney. 
John H. Jackson. 
Postmaster at Ana- 


141 
14*? 


J. S. & J. H. Jackson 
D. L. Broussard 


143 


do .. 


Sol Brown 




huac. 
T. TJ. Tavlor.a 


144 


Double Bayou, 15 miles 
southeast. 

Double Bayou, 15 miles 
northeast. 

High Island, 5 miles 
west (R. Barrow sur- 
vey). 

nigh Island (7 wells) c . . 


Hugh Jackson 




Do. a" 


145 


James Jackson 




Do. a 


146 


Hugh Jackson 


Gust Warnecke 


Hugh Jackson. 

William Kennedy, d 
Do. d 


147 




148 


do 






149 


Iligh Island, west 






Do. d 


150 


High Island 


Big Four 




N. M. Fenneman. e 


151 


... .do 


do 




William Kennedy./ 
N. M. Fenneman. e 


15?! 


do 


Carroll Well 




153 


Turtle Bayou 


R. M. White 




Postmaster. 


154 


do 


J. T.White 




T.TJ. Taylor, a 

N. H. Dafton.0 


155 


do 






156 


do 






Do. g 


157 


Winnie 






William Kennedy.* 1 
Do.* 


158 


Winnie, 3 miles north. . . 
See. 24 


Dixie Oil & Pipe Line Co 
Moore 




159 




A. Deussen. 











a Taylor, T. TJ., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper TJ. S. GeoL 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 31. 

b Fenneman, N. M., Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. TJ. S. Geol. Survey No. 
282, 1906, pp. 83-84. 

c For analyses, see table facing p. 110. 

dHayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. 
TJ. S. Geol. Survey No. 212, 1903, p. 122. 

« Fenneman, N. M., op. cit., pp. 82-83. 

/ Hayes, C. W., and Kennedv, William, op. cit., p. 124. 

g Darton, N. H., Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States: Water-Supply Paper U.S. GeoL 
Survey No. 149, 1905, p. 144. 

h Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, op. cit., p. 126. 

» Idem, p. 61 



140 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
Wells and springs in Chambers County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to princi- 
pal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 
above ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


• 
Flow. 


1°4 


Inches. 


Feet. 
coo 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 
Flows 


Galls. 


Galls. 
100. 


135 


98 


240 


3S 


180 


2 


800. . . . 


60. 


VY> 


10 


246 










1°7 




727 


20 




Flows 








3- . 


610 


20 


J300 


3 




21. 


128 


\ao 










2 


200 






T>0 


10, CO... 


U 




3. 


no 


3 


380 




380 


3 




70±. 




4* 


450 




/250 


47 


200. . . . 




131 


\450 










1,176 






13? 














297 




(207 


20 






133 


\297 












800 




51. 


134 




Flows 






135 




550 






do 






136 




500(?) 






....do 






137 










...do 






138 




500 






...do 






139 




400 






...do 






140 


6. . 


850 




850 


20 




50. 


141 


4. 


650 










8. 


14 9 


6. . 


850 






Flows 




100. 


143 




800 






do 




100. 


144 










do 




100. 


145 




1,000 






do 




100. 




4. . 


876 


7 


f300 


2 




2. 


146 


\876 












260 




14. 




2C0 










203 




203 










142 




142 








147 


,193 




193 










3 


170 




170 










193 




193 










.165 




165 








148 














149 




Spring 












150 


12-4. 


995 
















610 


40 


/180 








151 


\211 to 261 












810 






15*> 








• 


153 


4. .. 


300 












154 




1,720 












155 


4. . 


900 












156 


4 


850... 






Flows 




139. 


157 




1,600 
















1,510 


26 


|C0 to 90 








158 


{180 to 304 












838 




[380 to 623 . . 








159 


140 to 240 

























SOUTHEASTERN" TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 141 

Wells and springs in Chambers County, Tex. — Continued. 



No 



Source of water. 



Qualit5 r . 



Remarks. 



124 
125 

126 
127 
128 



129 
130 

131 

132 
133 
134 
135 
136 
137 
138 
139 
140 
141 
142 
143 
144 
145 

146 



147 



148 

149 
150 

151 

152 
153 
154 
155 
156 
157 



158 
159 



Lissie (?).. 
Beaumont. 



do. 

Lissie. 
do. 



Recent and Beaumont. 

Lissie 

fBeaumont 

\Lissie 



Lissie. 
....do. 



Lissie. 
....do. 
....do. 



(Beaumont (?) 
\Lissie 



Beaumont. 



Beaumont. 
....do 



(■Beaumont. 
\Lissie 



Good. 

Soft.. 



Good, soft water 
at 300 feet; hard 
salt and sulphur 
water at 610 feet. 

Soft 



Soft. 



Sulphur 

Good 

do 

Salty 

Good 

do 

do 

Soft 

Slightly salty. 



Good . 
do. 



Fresh and pure.. . 

Hard 

Strong brine 

Brine 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Sulphur water; no 

salt. 
Salt 



/Fresh. 
\Salt... 



Salty. 



Used for irrigating rice. 
1903. 

Good for domestic use. 
Completed, 1896. 



Completed, 



Completed, 1904. 

In river valley. Completed, 1900. 
\ Used for irrigation and manufacturing; 
/ temperature, 75° F. 

Oil test well. Higgins well No. 2. 

Flows 75,000 gallons per day. 



Used for boilers. Completed, 1895. 
Supply has decreased. 



jcompleted, 1897. 



Wells drilled in search of fresh water in 
central and southwest parts of island. 
Several have strong flow of salt water; 
temperature, 100°+ F. 

In northeast part of island; not so deep 
as the salt wells. 

Oil test well (No. 2). 

•Oil test well No. 1 (abandoned). 

Oil test well. 



Oil test well. No rock to 1,600 feet. 
The well at Big Hill, only a few miles 
to the east, encountered a light-gray 
crystalline dolomite between 350 and 
1,400 feet. 

Drilled for oil. 



142 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

132. Sectioji of Wiggins well (No. 2), Barbers Hill, Tex. 
[Description of samples kept by Patillo Higgins.] 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel : Ft. in. 

Soil 0- 

Yellow clay, blotched with red 2 - 

Very fine yellowish sand 18 - 

Yellow and blue variegated stiff clay 32 5 - 

Reddish-yellow very fine sand; contains 
enough clay to make it lumpy, slightly 

calcareous 51 9 - 

Clear white silica sand 70 9 - 

Variegated yellowish and blue clay 101 3 - 

White sand 154 3 - 

Light clay 160 7 - 

Darker clay 175 7 - 

Subangular small fragments of shale 177 7 - 

Nearly white sand, medium grained 179 7 - 

Blue clay 258 9 - 

Fine white sand 304 1 - 

Bluish limestone in small fragments 314 . 1 - 

Fine gray sand in lumps 315 1 - 

Concretionary limestone in fragments 320 1 - 

Light-colored gumbo 327 2 - 

White sand, medium coarse, with black grains 337 6 - 

Light gumbo 354 8 - 

Coarse sand, some gumbo fragments 369 1 - 

Loose yellowish sand 371 3 - 

Light clay 372 3 - 

Fragments of limestone; some sand 375 7 - 

Light clay; some fragments of limestone 377 5 - 

Light clay 392 6 - 

Limestone fragments 396 1 - 

Light clay 398 4 - 

Loose sand, few limestone fragments as if stray 405 6 - 

Loose yellowish sand 410 3 - 

Loose white sand, coarse 421 8 - 

Gypsum, well powdered 457 2 - 

Sand and limestone fragments 556 7 - 

Fine white sand 568 4 - 574 10 

Gypsum as above, some sand mixed 574 10- 604 3 

Coarse silica sand, many black specks mak- 
ing the whole dark 604 3 - 

Coarse sand, white and red grains, several 

gypsum concretions 609 10 - 

Large concretions of gypsum (egg size) em- 
bedded in sand, some powdered gypsum. . 616 6 - 
Fragments of gypsum in sand, some very 
fine yellow sand, also some clear white sand 

with black grains 630 - 

More gypsum fragments, as from concretions. 639 3 - 

Dark loose sand 657 7 - 



Ft. 


in. 


2 





18 





32 


5 


51 


9 


70 


9 


101 


3 


154 


3 


160 


7 


175 


7 


177 


7 


179 


7 


258 


9 


304 


1 


314 


1 


315 


1 


320 


1 


327 


2 


337 


6 


354 


8 


369 


1 


371 


3 


372 


3 


375 


7 


377 


5 


392 


6 


396 


1 


398 


4 


405 


6 


410 


3 


421 


8 


457 


2 


556 


7 


568 


4 



609 


10 


616 


6 


630 





639 


3 


657 


7 


664 


1 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN, 143 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie 

gravel — Continued. Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Some massive gypsum "bowlders" in sand.. 664 1- 688 8 

Selenite flakes and round iron-like concre- 
tions larger than peas 688 8- 695 7 

Sand, loose and dark, with iron-stained gravel. 695 7 - 699 6 

Loose sand and more iron-like nodules like 

peas 699 6 - 702 2 

Sand, loose and dark, with iron-stained 

gravel 702 2 - 712 6 

Limestone and gypsum 712 6- 746 6 

Loose gray sand 746 6 - 776 6 

Gypsum flakes and sand 776 6- 857 4 

Differs little from preceding; little lime at 

places 857 4 - 1, 108 

Great gypsum concretions 1, 108 0-1, 115 

Same material without the concretions; the 
red and yellow (as if limonite) particles 

more numerous 1, 115 0-1, 122 6 

Concretions again 1, 122 6-1, 146 7 

Clear white sand to bottom 1, 146 7 - 1, 176 7 

146. Mr. Hugh Jackson writes that the well was drilled in 1897 and has flowed 
19,000 gallons per 24 hours ever since. He had the water analyzed about three months 
later by Prof. H. H. Harrington, of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, 
who reported that it contained about 6,500 parts per million of mineral matter in 
solution, most of which was alkali salts. 

Mr. Jackson adds: "About a year later I had it analyzed, with the same results, 
approximately. It makes fairly good stock water; stock do well but do not like it. 
Those who have inspected this well say that it is not a flow caused by artesian pressure 
but is caused by gas pressure . . . The accompanying gas is very inflammable and 
causes the water to pulsate. A few feet before getting into the water-bearing sand 
gumbo was encountered having the appearance slightly of asphalt. At 300 feet a 
fresh and pure water flow of 3,000 gallons a day was found." 

150. Section of Big Four well (No. 2) at High Island, Tex. 

Feet. 

Clay 0-20 

Sand with three layers of clay; struck a bowlder which followed 

the pipe 100 feet 20-226 

Clay 226-237 

Sand 237-282 

Struck bowlder 282-300 

Clay below gravel and shells at 350 feet 300-424 

Hard gravel 424-426 

Sand 426^32 

Very hard rock ; 36 hours to drill 16 inches 432-435 

Sand 435-437 

Hard gravel and shell 437-440 

Hard rock 440-443 

Gravel and shell 443-450 

Rock; took 48 hours to drill 2 feet 450-452 

Blue joint clay 452-472 

Rock; 30 hours to drill 7 inches 472-474 

Clay 474-477 



144 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Feet. 

Rock 477-483 

Rock and clay 483-492 

Clay 492-496 

Clay and sand 496-537 

Rock 537-539 

Clay and sand: hard bine clay at 560 539-606 

Rock 606-608 

Sand 60S-611 

Blue gumbo 611-641 

Shell and blue gumbo 641-643 

Blue gumbo 643-667 

RockT 667-668 

Hard blue mud 668-792 

Soft mud 792-808 

Shell and blue gumbo 808-830 

Very hard shells 830-833 

Hard rock 833-S37 

Sand 837-S97 

Rock 897-S99 

Blue mud 899-910 

Blue gumbo 910-926 

Blue-gray rock, very porous 926-928 

Gravel. 92S-944 

Rock; gas pressure, oil indications 944-945 

Limestone and gravel 945-963 

Blue stones with mica; gas and oil signs 963-972 

Mud and sand 972-993 

Cavity or cave: lost water 993-995 

151. Section of Big Four irell (No. 1) High Islayid, Tex. 

Yellow clay 0- 20 

Sand 20-40 

Blue clay 40-100 

Clay sand and shells, fresh water at ISO feet 100-180 

Conglomerate rock 180-1S4 

Sulphur and clay 1S4-207 

Hard siliceous rock 207-211 

Quicksand and salt water 211-261 

Siliceous rock 261-266 

Brown clay 266-310 

Siliceous rock 310-314 

Clay 314-369 

Siliceous rock 369-373 

Clay 373-409 

Siliceous rock 409-412 

Clay 412-503 

Siliceous rock 503-505 

Oil sand 50-5-509 

152. The Guffey Co. has bored a well at High Island. Tex., to a depth of 2.600 
feet. From 900 to 1,300 feet is in gypsum and from 1,300 to 2.600 in salt; the latter 
was not drilled through. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 145 

152. Section of Carroll well at High Island, Tex. 

[Received from Mr. Carroll.] 

Feet. 

Clay 0-28 

Sand 28-36 

Rock 36-38 

Sand 38-46 

Gumbo 46-54 

Sand 54-90 

Rock 90-91 

Sand I 91-100 

Gumbo 100-189 

Rock 189-192 

Sand 192-204 

Rock 204-205 

Gumbo , 205-231 

Rock 231-232 

Sand 232-241 

Rock 241-242 

Sand 242-261 

Gravel 261-264 

Gumbo 264-275 

Rock 275-276 

Sand 276-296 

Gumbo 296-316 

Rock 316-322 

Gumbo 322-324 

Rock 324-325 

Gumbo 325-331 

" Rock " (examined and found to be gypsum) 331-810 

High Island, as revealed by the sections above given, is one of the characteristic 
structural domes of the Coastal Plain, analogous to Spindletop and Damon Mound. 
The presence of gypsum, salt, and sulphur is characteristic. These are absent from 
the greater portion of the Coastal Plain. The formations involved in the structure 
of High Island include at least the Lissie gravel and possibly the Beaumont clay and 
marine Miocene. 

158. Section of Dixie Oil & Pipe Line Co.'s well, 3 miles north of Winnie, Tex. 

Beaumont clay: Feet. 

Soil 0- 2 

Yellow clay (2-foot log, at 56 feet) 2- 60 

Water sand 60- 90 

Yellow clay 90- 180 

Water sand 180- 304 

Blue tough clay 304- 380 

Lissie gravel: 

Water sand 380- 623 

Tough clay 623- 835 

Clay, shells 835- 856 

Blue tough clay 856- 876 

Blue rock 876- 897 

Blue clay and shells 897-1, 059 

Gray sandstone 1, 059-1, 060 

Tough clay 1, 060-1, 378 

14926°— wsp 335—14 10 



146 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Marine Miocene (?): Feet. 

Clay with shells 1, 378-1, 440 

Hard shale 1, 440-1, 460 

Soft clay 1, 460-1, 480 

Gravel 1, 480-1, 510 

159. Section of Moore well on sec, 24, Chambers County, Tex. 

[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Beaumont clay: Feet. 

Yellow clay 0-140 

Lissie gravel : 

Gray water sand 140-200 

Blue clay 200-240 

Sand 240-255 

Gumbo and clay 255-305 

Sand 305-315 

Gumbo 315-375 

Sand \ 375-385 

Gumbo 385-460 

Blue shale 460-485 

Sand 485-493 

Bowlders 493-505 

Shale 505-515 

Gumbo 515-600 

Bowlders 600-640 

Gumbo 640-710 

Bowlders 710-720 

Sand bowlders 720-780 

Sand and bowlders 780-820 

Gumbo 820-838 

CHEROKEE COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

Cherokee County has available only one artesian reservoir, the 
lower Eocene, and its area of flow is confined entirely to the valleys. 
Probably none of the towns along the St. Louis Southwestern Railway 
will ever obtain flowing wells. (See PI. VIII, in pocket.) The only 
artesian well known in the county is at Circle, about 3 miles 
from Angelina River. At Jacksonville the lower Eocene sands are 
entered at 244 feet, but at Wells, in the southern part of the county, 
on the outcrop of the Yegua formation, a drill hole 600 feet deep 
failed to reach the water-bearing beds. Doubtless a deeper boring 
would have yielded abundant water. 

In the northern portion of Cherokee County and in the vicinity of 
Jacksonville wells can be completed in this reservoir at depths ranging 
from 100 feet above sea level to 400 feet below it. The wells will 
deepen toward the south, reaching a maximum of 600 feet below sea 
level in the southern portion of the county. 






SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



147 



Few data are available on the quality of the water in Cherokee 
County. Generally, most of the water in wells not deeper than 600 to 
700 feet will be potable. The Circle well is said to yield "mineral 
water." Lower Eocene water at Jacksonville is used in locomotive 
boilers and for the manufacture of ice. 

The numerous erosion hills capped with iron ore produce many 
chalybeate springs. 

WELL DATA. 

Additional details concerning the wells of Cherokee County are given 
m the following table: 

Wells and springs in Cherokee County, Tex. 



No. 



160 
161 

162 
163 

164 
165 

166 

167 

168 
169 
170 
171 
172 
173 
174 



Location. 



Lone Star, 4 miles south. 
Morton, 3 miles north- 
west of wells. 

Wells 

Circle 



.do. 



Mount Selman, 1 mile 
southwest. 

Dialville, 1£ miles north- 
east. 

Jacksonville 



.do. 



Rusk, 3 miles northeast. 

Rusk, 10 miles east 

Rusk, 1 \ miles east 

Rusk, f mile east 

Rusk, 1 mile west 

Rusk 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Authority. 



J. W. Beaird 

Arkansas Lumber Co. . 



H. L. Carlton. 
C.H.Martin.. 



Texas & New Orleans 

Railroad. 
Ice factory 



P. M. Granberry & Co. 



Layne & Bowler. 



E . C. Dickinson 

W. J. Weatherley 

EastTexas Penitentiary. 



J. J. Connor, a 
Arkansas Lumber Co. a 

N. H. Darton. & 
J. R. Mitchell, post- 
master, a 
Do. a 
H. L. Carlton. 

C. H. Martin. 

Chief engineer, main- 
tenance of way. 
Postmaster, a 
E. C. Dickinson. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
W. J. Weatherley. 
W. M. Lacy, assistant 
superintendent. <* 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths of prin- 
cipal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 
above ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


160 


Inches. 


Feet. 
100+ 


Feet. 


Feet. 




Galls. 


Galls. 


161 




600 










16? 




600 










163 




300 






Plows 


Large. 


164 




600 










167 


M 


423 


516 


/244to*287 




106.... 








/386 


I 


\382to423 
















168 






17? 






/ 








10. 


174 




620 








None.. 



















a Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas: 
Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1606, p. 230. 

b Darton, N. H., Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 149, 1905, p. 144. 



148 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



No. 


Source of supply. 


Quality. 


Rem 


16(1 




! 


No water. 


1' 1 






Abandoned. 


in*> 






Unsuccessful. 


1C3 


'NY ilcox 


M iueral 




II 1 






Test for oil. 


1C5 




Soft 


Spring. 

( astalian Springs; local resort. 

Used for locomotive boilers. 


16fi 




Chalybeate a 




/ 


11 , 


\ Wilcox 




Completed, 1. 

Water carries large amount of sand. 
Two wells. 

Spring. "For many years the resort 
for invalids altik'ted with jaundice 
and kindred diseases.'' 

Spring. Used locally for medicinal pur- 
poses. 
Do. 


IfiS 


.....do 




\m 




Sulphur 


170 




171 




do 


17? 




Soft 


Spring. 
Do. 


173 




Sulphur 


174 






Bit caught and well abandoned. 









o For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 
DESCRIPTIVE XOTES. 

167. Section of Texas & New Orleans Railroad Co.'s well at Jacksonville, Tex. 

Mount Selman and Wilcox formations: Feet. 

Sandrock 0- 23 

Lignite 23- 26 

Quicksand 26- 31 

Blue clay 31- 63 

Iron rock 63- 75 

Black marl 75-127 

Sandy clay , 127-167 

Sand rock 167-186 

Hard sandy clay 186-244 

Water-bearing white sand 244-287 

Soft sandy clay 287-347 

Fine packed sand 347-400 

Loose sand, water 400-423 

FALLS COUNTY. 

Only the eastern corner of Falls County is included within the 
limits of the area covered by this paper, and in this corner the 
flowing-well prospects are very unfavorable. No Tertiary water 
horizon is available. 1 Flowing wells could be obtained from the 
underlying Cretaceous Woodbine sand, but the great depth neces- 
sary — 4,000 feet — makes drilling impracticable. The Nacatoch 
reservoir will supply nonflowing wells. (See PI. VII, in pocket.) 

The sands of the Wilcox formation veneer the easternmost corner 
of the county, but being very thin and without cover they supply 
only shallow surface wells. 

1 For a description of the Cretaceous water horizons in this county, see Hill, R. T., Geography and geology 
of the Black and Grand prairies, Tex.: Twenty-first Ann. Tiept. U. S. Geol. Surrey, pt. 7, 1901. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 

Additional details are given in the following table: • 

Wells and springs in a portion of Falls County, Tex. 



149 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Authority. 


Depth of 
well. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


17"i 


Denny, 1£ miles 

west. 
Denny. 2} miles 

south. 
Highbank 


Tom Reid 


William Lyon. 


Feet. 


Soft 

...do 


Willow Springs. 

Gray Springs. 

No water reservoirs 


17G 

177 


T. W. Terry 


do 

Postmaster 


800 (?).. 










encountered. 



FORT BEND COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 



Only the northern third of Fort Bend County is included in the 
region considered in this report. The surface formations are the 
Beaumont clay in the eastern half of this portion and the Lissie 
gravel in the western half. (See PI. I, in pocket.) These areas have 
available the water-bearing sands of the Lissie gravel, which at least 
in the eastern corner are well covered by the relatively impervious 
Beaumont clay. 

Where these sands are under cover they give rise to flowing wells, 
as at Areola (wells Nos. 182, 183) and Sugarland (welLNo. 194). In 
the remainder of the county flows can probably be obtained at 
depths of 100 to 200 feet in the area of the outcrop of the Lissie 
gravel. (See PL VII, in pocket.) 

Wells not exceeding 1,000 feet in depth may be depended on to 
yield supplies suitable for every use and in abundant quantity. 
Where large yields are sought deep wells are recommended, as these 
draw their water from more extensive areas than the shallow wells 
and are less easily exhausted. 

At Almeda and Richmond this water is used for irrigation with 
apparently satisfactory results and at Richmond it is used in boilers. 
It is generally hard. 



150 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



WELL DATA. 



The following table gives data concerning the wells of Fort Bend 



County: 



Wells and springs in Fort Bend County, Tex. 



No. 



Location. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Authority. 



178 

179 

180 

181 
182 
183 

184 
185 
186 
187 

188 

189 

190 

191 

192 
193 
194 
195 
196 

197 
198 

199 

200 

201 

202 
203 



204 
205 
206 



Almeda, 3 miles 

west-southwest. 
Foster, J mile 

northeast. 
Fulshear, 2 miles 

northwest. 

Simonton 

Areola 

Areola, 2 miles 

southwest. 

Richmond 

....do 



J. Poitevent sur- 
vey. 



F. D. Young 

Mrs. J. A. Davis. . 
"Mrs. R. L. Harris. 



P. M. Granberry 



G.W.Winsworth. 



J. A. Robertson. . . 
House plantation . 
T. W. House 



do 

Richmond, 400 
yards northwest 
of post office. 



Town block 133 . 



Richmond, £ mile 

northeast. 
R ichmond , 1 £ miles 

southeast. " 
Rosenberg, 4£ 

miles southwest. 

Sugarland 

do 

do 

do 

Sugarland, f mile 

west. 

Missouri City 

Booth 



Wm. Morton sur- 
vey. 



City Waterworks. 

Clem Bassett 

John M. Moore 

Richmond Cotton 
Co. 

Richmond Cotton 

Co. 
J. A. Blasdel 



G.W.Winsworth. 

do 

Payne Bros 



do 

G.W.Winsworth. 



do... 

C. Hillar. 



W. T. Eldridge... 
C unningham farm . 



I. W. Lawson 

G.W/Winsworth. 



Imperial Sugar Co . 



E. R. Robinson. 
I. M. Camp 



G.W.Winsworth. 



Booth, 800 feet 

northwest. 
Booth, 1} miles 

north. 
Thompson, 40 

yards north of 

post office. 
Thompson, 2\ 

miles northwest. 
Thompson, 150 

feet north of post 

office. 

Thompson 

Sartartia 

Stafford 



K u yk e nd al 1 

League. 
Henry Jones 

League. 



F.I. Booth 

Ira M. Camp 

Miss Eliza Jones. 



F.I. Booth 

G.W.Winsworth. 
....do 



Miss Eliza Jones . 



.do. 
.do. 



M. A. Dug 

W.I.Moody 

Dr. W. B. Coch- 



G.W.Winsworth. 



F. D. Young. 
Mrs. J. A. Davis. 

G. W. Winsworth. 

Postmaster. 
J. A. Single v. a 
T. U. Taylor.b 

Do.b 
G. W. Winsworth. 

Do. 
Real F. Ransom, 
secretary. 

Do. 
J. A. Blasdel. 

Do. 

I. W. Lawson. c 

G. W. Winsworth. 
T. U. Tavlor.b 
N. H. Darton.d 

Do.d 
G. W. Winsworth. 

Postmaster. 
Postmaster at 
Thompson. 

F. I. Booth. 

Ira M. Camp. 
J. W. Slavin. 

G. W. Winsworth. 
J. W. Slavin, agent. 



G. W. Winsworth. 
Do. 



a Singley, J. A., Preliminary report on the artesian wells of the Gulf Coastal slope: Fourth Ann. Rept. 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1893, p. 108. 

t> Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 24. 

c Fuller, M. L, and Sanford, Samuel, Record of deep-welidrilling for 1905: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 
298, 1906, p. 160. 

d Darton, N. TL, Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 149, 1905, p. 147. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 151 

Wells and springs in Fort Bend County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


178 


Inches. 
10 . 


Feet. 
130 


Feet. 


Feet. 
80 


Feet. 
-6 


Galls. 
1,200 


Galls. 


179 


2 


208 




45,86.208 

95,140 


-14 




180 


2 


160 




-46 


10 




181 


6 


700 










182 




910 










350. 


183 




1,000 






Flows 




60. 


181 




400 












185 


2 


175 












186 


2 


170 












187 


10.. 


400.... 




380 


-17 


200.... 
200.... 




188 


10 


400 


87 


380 


-17.. 




189 


3.. 


173 




30 to 35, 70 

59^ 


-20 




190 














191 


91. . 


300 




200 to 260 


-30 


1,000.. 




]q9 


2 


493 








193 




1,000 












194 




1,760 






Flows 




7. 


195 


8-4 . 


1,550 






+9 




104. 


196 


2.. 


493 




450 


-8.... 


12 




197 


6 


200 










198 


2 


275 














4 ... 


200 


87 


(30 to 45 


—15 






199 


•U10tol30 










2 


279 


87 


1170 










/12, 46 


-12 






200 


1180 97Q 








?01 


2 


406 




394 


-2£ 






?0? 


2 


492 




463 to 469 

/90 


-1 








2 


406 




-3 






203 


\406 














1,265 




?04 










?05 


2 


233 












?06 


2 


220 





























No. 


Source of supply. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


178 


Lissie 




"Water is lowered 25 feet by pumping. Used for 


179 


do 


Hard 


rice irrigation. Completed, 1901. 
Completed, 1899. 


180 


...do 


Iron 




181 








18? 




Good 


Used in sugar making. 


183 








184 








18S 






Two other 20-inch wells, 150 and 143 feet deep, 


186 






are owned by Mr. Bassett near Richmond. 


187 


Lissie 


Hard 


Used for garden irrigation; water bed consists of 


188 


do 


do 


gravel. Completed, 1905. 
Used in boilers and for garden irrigation. 


189 


do 


Soft 


Completed, 1906. 


190 


do 




191 


do 




Completed, 1904. Water is lowered 70 feet by 


19? 






pumping. 
Two other 2-inch wells near Sugar land, 367 and 


193 






290 feet deep, are owned by Mr. Eldridge. 
Two wells. 


194 








19t 








196 


Lissie 


Soft 


In Brazos bottoms. 


197 








198 










?Late Pleistocene 


jsoft 


Used in sugar mill. 


199 


\Lissie 




\....do 






f Late Pleistocene 




200 


\Lissie 






I 
Sulphur 




*>01 


Lissie 




?0? 


do.... 


Soft 


Completed, 1907. 




(Late Pleistocene 


Sulphur 


[Show of gas; completed, 1905. 


203 


\Lissie 


(0) 


204 






Drilled for oil. 


?05 








206 

















a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



152 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

191. 1 Section of well owned by C. Hillar, 4\ miles southwest of Rosenberg, Tex. 

[Bv I. W. Lawson, contractor and driller.] 

Feet. 

Hard black soil 0- 6 

Beaumont clay: 

Soft red clay 6- 18 

Quicksand; fine, but little water 18- 28 

Hard red gumbo 28- 85 

Liesie gravel: 

Coarse gravel; water not alkaline 85-125 

Soft red clay 125-200 

Fine blue gravel; water 200-2G0 

Hard blue clay 260-300 

202. Section of well owned by Mr. Whisnand, 2\ miles northwest of Thompson, Tex. 

[Received from G. W. Winsworth.] 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Soil and clay 0-38 

Fine sand 38-50 

Coarse sand and gravel 50- 63 

Red clay 63- 96 

Fine sand 96-118 

Good sand, water 118-129 

Fine sand 129-137 

Clay 137-168 

Fine sand 168-194 

Soft clay 194-202 

Fine sand 202-217 

Gravel 217-218 

Fine sand 218-238 

Tough "putty" clay 238-246 

Pack sand 246-284 

Clay 284-298 

Fine quicksand - 298-336 

Sand 336-344 

Rocky clay 344-349 

Quicksand 349-391 

Red and blue clay 391-425 

Fine sand 425-448 

Clay 448-451 

Soft rock 451^53 

Gravel 453-463 

Water sand 463-469 

Fine sand 469-492 

The driller says: "Every sand stratum was full of water, but sand was too fine for 
screen most of the time. Water is soft, good tasting." 

203. J. W. Slavin writes: "Struck gas pocket at 225 feet. Did not test same. 
Also gas at 406 feet which came out with water. The gas is now used for illuminating, 
and the flow is as strong now as when first drilled. Gumbo was the principal forma- 
tion encountered, with sand between the layers of gumbo." 

1 Fuller, if. L., and Sanford, Samuel, op. cit., p. 273. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



153 



FREESTONE COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 



The sands of the Wilcox foimation outcrop over the entire area of 
Freestone County. (See PI. I, in pocket.) At no point are they 
beneath an impervious cover, and except in a few localities they will 
not yield flowing wells. (See Pis. VII and VIII.) Cretaceous strata 
lie too deep to make attempts to reach them practicable, and their 
waters would probably be unfit for use. The Nacatoch reservoir 
underlies the entire county but would probably yield salt water. 

Topographic conditions such as those shown in figure 11 (p. 91) 
are lacking, and flows in this district will be the exception rather than 
the rule. They may be had in the eastern corner of the county in 
the Trinity bottoms. In a well 1J miles southeast of Butler (No. 212) 
water rose to the surface, and at lower levels farther southeast 
flowing wells can be had. (See PL VIII, in pocket.) 
* Abundant water is available from nonflowing deep wells, and some 
such wells are now being utilized. 

In the western half of Freestone County only shallow wells 100 to 
400 feet deep can be had. Toward the east the depth will increase 
and in the eastern corner wells can be completed from 100 feet below 
the surface to 200 feet below sea level. 

Most of the water from the Wilcox will generally be potable and 
soft and suitable for steaming. At Teague water from these sands 
is used in locomotive boilers and for manufacturing ice. 



WELL DATA. 



Details of wells in Freestone County are given in the following 
table : 

Wells and springs in Freestone County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


207 


Teague, £ mile west 

Teaeue, 5 mile west 
Teague, $ mile southwest 

Teague, i mile south 

Brewer 


Trinity & Brazos Valley 

R.Y. 
Gordon Hagms 


Layne & Bowler. ...... 


Postmaster. 
Gordon Hasrins 


209 

210 
?11 


Trinity & Brazos Valley 
J. N. Robinson & Co 


Layne & Bowler 

M. n. McLcod 


1 . W. Bobbitt, division 

engineer. 
Postmaster. 
Lavno Sz Bowler 


?1? 


Butler, 1 \ miles southeast 

Butler, 4 miles east 

do 


Grange Oil Co 




C. C. Corn well. 


?13 


J. M. Duncan 




J. W. Duncan. 


?14 


do 




Do. 


BIS 


Blunt , If miles southwest 

Blunt, 2 miles west 

Stewards Mill 


F. E. Hill 


A. B. Brown 

W.B.Allen 


J. C. Richardson, post- 
master. 
ITick Lee. 
Postmaster. 


216 
?17 


R. Y. Chancellor 

A . T . Watson 


?18 


Bonner 






N. H Darton.a 


?1Q 


Wortham 






Do.o 


??,0 


Fairfield, 8 miles north- 
west. 

Fairfield, 10 miles north- 
east. 






Do.o 


9?1 






Do.o 











c Darton, N. H., op. cit., p. 147. 



154 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wells and springs in Freestone County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Diameter of 

well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 
below ground. 


Yield per 

minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


W7 


/nc/ics. 
8± 


Feet. 
20S (?) 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 
No flow 


Galls. 


Galls. 


90S 














1 


?09 


9| 


408 




18,140,206,200... 


80... 


60 




?10 


10 


300± 




No flow 




?11 








206 










8 


850 




[62,325 


>No flow .... 






?,1? 


■teoo 








700 




1850 








?13 






?14 




200 












?15 


10 


1,400 




300 


30 






?16 


6 


1,100 






No flow 






?17 


8 


500 










?18 






:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;:: 








?iq 














?°o 




1,350 










?01 




1,200 




800 





















No. 


Source ci water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


?07 


Wilcox 


Soft (?) 


At railroad shops; completed, 1906. 

Spring water used in boilers. 

Used in locomotive boilers; completed, 

1905. 
Ice-plant well; completed, 1907. 


?08 




Soft ; 


?09 


Wilcox 


Some iron 


910 


do 




?11 


do 


Good 


919 


do 




Drilled for oil. 


?13 






Do. 


?14 






Do. 


915 


Wilcox 


Sulphur 


Drilled for oil; completed, 1907. 
Do. 


?16 






?17 








?19 




Salty 




991 


(?) 


Sulphur 













GALVESTON COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 



Galveston County is abundantly supplied with artesian wells. The 
surface formations consist of Recent materials and the Beaumont 
clay, the latter constituting the cover above the prolific Lissie gravel. 
The marine Miocene sands embedded beneath the county are also 
w^ater bearing and produce strong flows wherever encountered, but 
in Galveston County they are of no economic value, for they nearly 
everywhere yield water that is brackish or salty and unfit for use. 
(See fig. 14.) 

The Lissie gravel produces flows on nearly every square mile of 
the county. (See PI. VII, in pocket.) Owing, however, to the great 
number of wells that draw from it, the static head in the drill holes is 
constantly falling. At Alta Loma it has fallen in 14 years from an 
original height of 26 feet above the surface almost to the surface. 
Many wells that formerly flowed have ceased. This lowering of static 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



155 



head may be expected to continue. Deeper sands will yield more 
permanent supplies. 

The Lissie gravel dips seaward at approximately 35 feet to the mile. 
(See fig. 14 and PI. I.) Some of the included water sands may also 
have this dip, but others (see fig. 15) may vary from it considerably, 
and some may even show apparent reversals. Such variations, how- 
ever, should not be assigned to hypothetical folds and flexures, the 
presence of which can be definitely determined by paleontologic 
criteria alone. 




Sea level 



3000 J 



Figure 14. — Section between Galveston and Houston, showing the water-bearing beds of the several 
flowing wells and the relations of salt and fresh water. 

Practically every well in the county strikes two or more water 
sands. In the city of Galveston the mam water sand is found at a 
nearly uniform depth of 810 to 840 feet along the northeast-southwest 
strike of the beds (see fig. 14), but minor sands having a sparser 
distribution are met at 436 and 320 feet and many others lie lower 
than the sand at 810 to 840 feet. The water in all the sands beneath 
Galveston is brackish and unfit for use. At Texas City, the nearest 



156 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



point to the coast where wells supply potable water, a minor sand is 
encountered at 400 feet and the main sand at 700 to 800 feet. At 
Lamarque the main Band supplying potable water is struck at 770 
to 900 feet, but four or five sands above it furnish good water. At 
Hitchcock a prolific sand is entered between 711 and 726 feet, but 
two equally important sands supply good water at 678 to 692 and at 
408 to 423 feet. At Alta Loma three sands, the lower two of which 
have yielded flows hi times past, are found 100 to 123, 489 to 494, and 
740 to 868 feet below the surface. The water in all three is potable, 
but only the deepest has been developed. At Algoa the main sand 
is encountered at 700 to 750 feet and another at 500 feet. At Dickin- 
son flows have been obtained from sands at 520 to 532 and at 700 to 
7S3 feet. At League City sands at 525 to 550, 700 to 730, and 935 to 
1,020 feet have yielded flows of potable water. (See fig. 14.) 

Most of the water-bearing sands in this county belong to the 
Lissie gravel. Some of them persist over large areas and others are 




Figure 15. — Diagram showing effect of scattered lenticular clay masses 
in producing apparent water horizons with dips opposite to the true dip 
of the beds. A-A', True dip; B-B', apparent dip. 

purely local. It is believed that the sand found at a depth of 711 to 
726 feet in the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well at Hitch- 
cock (well No. 306) is continuous at least as far as Dickinson and is 
identical with a sand met there at a depth of 600 feet in the Nichols 
well (Xo. 336). However, the distribution of each sand lens is of 
little practical significance, the important fact being that any hole 
sunk into this reservoir is almost certain to encounter several water- 
bearing sands. Figure 14, which shows the water horizons in wells 
between Houston and Galveston along the Galveston, Houston & 
Henderson Railroad, indicates the difficulty of tracing the distribution 
of any sand. 

Wells on Galveston Island and in an 8-mile strip along the coast 
obtain brackish water unlit for use at all known depths. Elsewhere 
in the county the wells yield potable supplies to depths not exceed- 
ing 1,000 feet. Many are used for truck and fruit irrigation. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN". 



157 



WELL DATA. 



Details of wells in Galveston County are given in the following 

table: 

Wells and springs in Galveston County, Tex. 



e 
6 
5 


Location. 


Survey, headrrjht, 
or street. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


j!?3 


Galveston 


Seventeenth and 

"\ r innie streets. 
Nineteenth and 

Vv* innie streets. 
Twenty-first and 

Winnie streets. 
Twenty -third and 

Winnie streets. 
Twenty-fifth and 

Y .'innie streets. 
Twenty -eighth 

and Y< r innie 

streets. 
Thirtieth and 

Winnie streets. 
Thirty-second and 

"\ .'innie streets. 
Thirty-fifth and 

V 'innie streets. 
Thirty -seventh 

and Winnie 

streets. 
Forty-first and 

W innie streets. 
Forty-third and 

"\ ,'innie streets. 
Forty-fifth and 

Yv r innie streets. 


City of Galveston. . 




J. A. Singley.& 
Do.6 


? 9 T 


do 


do 




224 


do 


do 




Do.6 


ppt; 


do 


do 




Do.6 


2?6 


do 


do 




Do.6 


f"7 


do 


do 




Do.& 


9"s 


do 


do 




Do.6 


?9q 


do 


do 




Do.6 


?30 


do 


do 




Do.& 


231 


do 


do 




Do.& 


9^9 


do 


do 




Do.& 


9^ 


do 


do 




Do.6 


?34 


do 


do 




Do.& 


?3.T 


do 


do 


Galveston Arte- 
sian Well Co. 


Do.c 


?3fi 


do 


Post office and 
T w e n t y-sixth 
streets. 

Twentieth street 

and Avenue I. 
do 


Brush Electric 
Light & Power 
Co. 

Galveston City 

Railway Co. 
do.... 


Do.6 


?,°,7 


do 




Do.6 


?3S 


do 




Do.6 


WO 


do 


do... 


do 




Do.6 


240 


do 


Post office and 
F orty-first 
streets. 

Twentieth street 
and Avenue A. 
do 


Galveston Cotton 
ct Woolen Mills. 

Texas Ice & Cold 

Storage Co. 
do 




Do.6 


241 


do 




Do.6 


?4?, 


do 




Do.d 


?43 


do 


do 


do 




Do.d 


244 


do 


Santa Fe shops 

Eighteenth street 
and Avenue A. 
Twenty-eighth and 
Church'streets. 

Thirty-sixth and 
Church streets. 


Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Rail- 
way Co. 

National Cotton 
Oil Co. 

Bagging factory. 




Do.e 


245 


do 




Do./ 


24fi 


do 




Do./ 


247 


do 


Rope and twine 
factory. 

Galveston Brew- 
ing Co. 

South Galveston 
Land Co. 

Atlantic & Pacific 
Oil Co. 

Citv of Galveston. 




Do.0 


248 


do 




Do.& 


249 


Galveston, 10 miles 

southwest. 
Galveston Island . . 

Alta Loma, near.. . 

do 






Do.g 


250 


Sec.3 




A. Deussen. 


251 


E.T.Mitchell sur- 
vey. 
do 


A. T. Dickev, city 


252 


do 




eneineer. 
Do. 


253 


do 


do ;... 


do 




Do. 



a For additional data see notes at end of table. 

6 Sin^ley, J. A., Preliminary report on the artesian wells of the Gulf Coastal slope: Fourth Ann. Rept. 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1893, p. 98. 

c Idem,p-->. 87 etseq. 

d Idem, p. 99. 

e Idem, pp. 99-100. 

/ Idem, p. 100. 

g Idm,p. 101. 

A Teylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 99. 



158 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wells and springs in Galveston County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 



254 

255 
256 

257 



258 

259 

260 
261 

262 

263 

264 

265 

266 

267 

268 

269 

270 

271 

272 
273 

274 
275 

276 

277 
278 

279 

280 

281 

282 
283 
284 



Location. 



Alta Loma, near. . . 



.do. 
.do. 



.do. 



.do. 



.do. 



Alta Loma . 
....do 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



Alta Loma, near. 



.do. 



.do. 



.do. 



.do. 



.do. 



.do. 



.do. 



.do. 



.do. 



Alta Loma. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



do 

do 

Alta Loma, £ mile 
southwest. 



E. T. Mitchell sur- 

."£ 

Block 147, E. T. 
Mitchell survey. 

Block 148, E. t. 
Mitchell survey, 
southwest cor- 
ner. 

Block 148, E. T. 
Mitchell survey, 
northwest cor- 
ner. 

Block 149, E. T. 
Mitchell survey. 

Block 40 

Block 33, south- 
east corner. 

Block 32, south- 
east corner. 

Block 32, north- 
east corner. 

Block 20, south- 
east corner. 

Block 17, south- 
east corner. 

Block 16, south- 
east corner. 

Block 9, southeast 
corner. 

Block 8, southeast 
corner. 

Block 1, southeast 
corner. 

Block 181, north- 
east corner. 

Block 179, E. T. 
Mitchell survey, 
southeast cor- 
ner. 

Block 178, east line 
in the E. T. 
Mitchell survey. 

Block 158, E. T. 
Mitchell survey, 
northwest cor- 
ner. 

Block 160, west 
line of E. T. 
Mitchell survey. 

Block 161, E. T. 
Mitchell survey, 
northwest cor- 
ner. 

Block 163, E. T. 
Mitchell survey, 
southwest cor- 
ner. 

Block 164, west 
line of E. T. 
Mitchell survey. 

Block 165, E. T. 
Mitchell survey, 
northwest cor- 
ner. 

Block 167, E. T. 
Mitchell survey, 
southwest cor- 
ner. 

Block 167, E. T. 
Mitchell survey, 
northwest cor- 
ner. 



Owner. 



City of Galveston 



.do. 
.do. 



.do. 
.do. 

.do. 

.do. 
.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 
.do. 

.do. 
.do. 

.do. 

.do. 
.do. 

.do. 

.do. 



Driller. 



J. A. Conklin. 



Town 

H. E. Stobart 

Hoy land & John- 
son. 



Hoy land & John- 
son. 



Authority. 



A. T. Dickey, city 
engineer. 
Do. 
Do. 

Do. 



Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
Do. 

Do. 
Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
Do. 

Do. 

Do. 



W. B. Kitchel, 
postmaster. 

Do. 

Do. 
J. E. Johnson. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 

Wells and springs in Galveston County, Tex. — Continued. 



159 



No. 

285 
286 

287 

288 

289 

290 

291 

292 

293 

294 

295 

296 
297 
298 

299 

300 

301 

302 

303 

304 
305 

306 
307 
308 
309 

310 
311 
312 
315 
316 

317 

318 
319 
320 
321 
322 
323 
324 



Location. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Authority. 



Hitchcock 

Hitchcock, 1J miles 

west. 
Hitchcock, | mile 

south. 
Hitchcock, U miles 

east. 
Hitchcock, 2J miles 

west. 
Hitchcock, 1 mile 

east. 
Hitchcock, 4 miles 

northwest. 
Hitchcock, 7 miles 

west. 
Hitchcock, 6 miles 

west. 
Hitchcock, 7 miles 

west. 
Hitchcock, 8 miles 

west. 

Hitchcock 

do 

Hitchcock, \h miles 

west. 
Hitchcock, 7 miles 

southwest. 
Hitchcock, 2 miles 

southwest. 
Hitchcock, 2{ miles 

east. 
Hitchcock, 1£ miles 

west. 
Hitchcock, 2 miles 

east. 

do 

League City 



Jacques Tacquard. 
W. F. Reitmeyer. 



J. A. Minot 

David Tahey... 

B. F. Fast 

J. H. Kempner. . 
Alta Loma Co... 
A. H. Tacquard. 

do 

do 

do 

do 



Hitchcock, 200 feet 

east of depot. 
Hitchcock, 1 mile 

east. 
Hitchcock, 1§ miles 

northwest. 
Hitchcock, 1 mile 

south of well No. 

308. 
Hitchcock, 3 miles 

east. 
Hitchcock, | mile 

southwest. 
Hitchcock, * mile 

east. 
Hitchcock, | mile 

south. 
Bayview, 60 feet 

south of post 

office. 
Edgewater 



P. R. Edwards 
survey No. 14. 

L. Crawford sur- 
vey No. 38. 

Austin League 



W. F. Reitmeyer.. 
A. H. Tacquard... 
do 

Jules Perthius 

A. H. Tacquard... 
Jules Perthius 



do 

Galveston, Hous- 
ton & Henderson 
R.R. 

Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Ry. 

Mrs. J. Jensen 



J. Tacquard. 
do 



Fred Lemke 

Mrs. R.T.Wheeler 
Fred D. Lemke. .. 



Jacques Tacquard 

Louis Cange 

do 

do 

do 



J. L. Mayes. 
Louis Cange. 



R. Basquez survey 



Dickinson, 1 mile 

east. 
Dickinson, 2£ miles 

east. 
Dickinson, 2 miles 

east. 
Dickinson, 1 mile 

south. 
Dickinson, 2 miles 

north. 
Dickinson, J mile 

northeast. 
Dickinson, J mile 

east. 

a Taylor, T. U., op. cit, p. 29. 

c Singley, J. 



Wm. McClintock 
estate. 

Galveston, Hous- 
ton & Henderson 
R R 

W.H.Crawford... 



J. D.Ward.... 
C. C. Pettit... 

F. Fonts 

John Williams . 
Sam Saloets. . . 
Chas. Engelke. 



J. A. Conklin 

Louis Cange 

do 

do 

Gust Warnecke. 



T. U. Taylor, a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 
J. A. Singley. b 
W. F. Reitmeyer. 

A. H. Tacquard. 

Do. 

Jules Perthius. 
A. H. Tacquard. 
T. TJ. Taylor. 

Do. 

H. W. Boehm. 

C.F.W. Felt, chief 

engineer. 
Louis Cange. 

J. A. Singley. - 

Do. c 

J. A. Conklin. 
Louis Cange. 
R. T.Wheeler. 
Fred D. Lemke. 
W. P. Derrick. 

T. U. Taylor, a 

Do. a 
Do. a 
Do. a 
Do. a 
Do. a 
Do. a 
Do. a 



b Singley, J. A., op. cit., pp. 103-104. 
A., op. cit., pp. 102-103. 



160 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wells and springs i?i Galveston County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 

3:5 

320 

329 

330 

331 

332 

333 

334 

335 

330 
337 
338 

339 

340 

341 
342 
343 
344 
345 

340 

347 
348 
349 



350 
351 

352 



353 
354 
355 
350 



357 
358 

359 

360 
361 



Local ion. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Authority. 



Dickinson, i mile 

southwi 

>on, 1 mile 

south. 
Dickinson, 2\ miles 

south. 

Dickinson 

Dickinson, \ mile 

south. 
Dickinson, J mile 

Dickinson, 200 

yards sou 
Dickinson, f mile 

southeast. 
Dickinson, 1 mile 

east. 
Dickinson, $ mile 

northeast. 
Dickinson, f mile 

north. 

Dickinson 

do 

Dickinson, 3 miles 

west. 
Dickinson, \ mile 

west. 
Dickinson, h mile 

southeast. 

Texas City 

do 

do 

do 

do 



Mick "Weeks. 
Chas. Nolan. 
do 



Joseph Lobit. 
C. 11. Collier. 



W. K. Wilson 
League. 



Joseph Lobit 

do 

C. C. Pettit 

W. H. Crawford. 

C. Xicolini 

D. Collonge 



Nichols 

r.amio farm well. 
Nolan 



Anderson . . 
C. C. Pettit. 



Block No. 3. 



North Galveston. 



do.... 

Fairwood. 
Alcoa 



do 

Algoa, 2 miles 

northeast. 
Algoa 



League City. 

do 

do 

do , 



.do. 



League City, £ mile 

southwest. 
League City, \ mile 

west. 
Lamarque, £ mile 

northeast. 
Lamarque 



Texas City Co 

do 

do 

J. R. Myers 

Inman Compress 

Co. 
North Galveston 
Improvement Co. 



International & 
Great Northern 
Railroad No. 14. 



Algoa Townsite Co. 



do.. 

M. Marx. 



St. Louis, Browns- 
ville & Mexico 

Ry. 

A. W. Wilkerson.. 

C. R.Reifel 

Mrs. L. Cours 

Galveston, TTous- 
ton & Hender- 
son R. R. 

J. C. League 

Mrs. R.A.Walker. 

P.I. Gill 



John D. Moore 
League No. 5. 



Kohfeldt&Braun. 

Galveston, Hous- 
ton & Hender- 
son R. R. 



Gust Warnecke. 
L. V. Elder 



L. Mayes. 



Gust Warnecke. 
do 



Layne & Bowler, 



.do. 



Layne & Bowler, 



H. M. Biglow. 



Layne & Bowler. 
do 



T. U. Taylor, a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 
Do. a 

Joseph Collonge. 

J. Lobit. 

C. C. Pettit. 

W. H. Crawford. 

C. Nicolini. 

Joseph Collonge. 

J. A. Singley. b 
Do.6 
Do.6 

Do.6 

Do.b 

G. E. Whitney. 

Do. 

Do. 
T. U. Taylor.o 

Do. a 

J. A. Singley. e 

Do.c 

Do.c 

R. L. Jones. 



E .R .Cheesbcrough 
Do. 

E. C. Burgess, en- 
gineer. 

T. U. Taylor.o 

Do.o 

Do.a 
R. V. Brewster, 
resident engineer. 

J. C. League. 
Mrs. R.A.Walker. 

P. I. Gill. 

Franz Kohfeldt. 

R. V. Brewster, 
resident engineer. 



a Taylor, T. U., op. cit., p. 29. & Singley, J. A., op. cit., p. 104. c Singley, J. A., op. cit., p. 101. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 

Wells and springs in Galveston County, Tex. — Continued. 



161 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


999 


Inches. 


Feet. 
1,346 


Feet. 


Feet. 

840, 1,346 

840 


Feet. 
Flows 


Galls. 


Galls. 
425. 


99^ 




840 




do 




52. 


994 




835 




835 


do 




84. 


99 t 




830 




830 


do 




35. 


7>f> 




840 




840 


do 




28. 


??7 




835 




835 


do 




58. 


??8 




820 




820 


do 




74. 


?9q 




810 




810 


do 




59. 


?30 




830 




830 


do 




72. 


?31 




826 




826 


do 




82. 


93? 




819 




819 


do 




52. 


?33 




965 




965 


do 




241. 


?,34 




973 




973 


do 




380. 


?35 


22 to 26 


3,070 




(827 to 882 

1,330 to 1,340 
1,493 to 1,511... 
2,3 45 to 2,377... 

'2,432 to 2,443. , 

2,476 to 2,552 

2,883 to 2,920 , 
3,047 to 3,070. 

813 


■ do 




Flows. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

. Do. 


?,3fi 


813 




do 




Do. 
Strong 

flow. 
Flows. 
102 


237 




330 




330 


No flow 




208 
208 




?,38 




320 




320 




939 




910 




910 


Flows 


121. 


?40 




1,245 




1,245 


do 




819. 


941 


6 


856 




856 


do 




156. 


?4?, 


6 


872 




872 


do 




208. 


943 


1 


820 




820 


Flows (?) 






944 




797 




797 


Flows 




104. 




1.328 




[436 


1 do 


| 




?45 


\ 836 




?4fi 




810 




U,328o 

810 


I , 

do 


1 


347. 
125. 


?47 


1.365 




1,365 


do 




243. 


?4S 


8 

3 


872 






do 






949 


827 




827 


do 




37. 


950 




1,499 












?51 


9 to 7 


745 


22.21 




+2.46 




70. 


?5? 


7 to 5 


733 


22. 12 




+2.15 




70. 


9,53 


7 to 5 


726 


22.65 




+2.03 




70. 


954 


7 to 5 


775 


22. 78 


755 to 795 

755 to 795 

755 to 795 

756 to 790 

757 to 797 

754 to 794 

756 to 796 

757 to 797 

(100 to 123 

^489 to 494 

[740 to 868 

(100 to 123 

{489 to 494. 

l740to768 

757 to 797 

740 to 790 

740 to 790 

740 to 790 

740 to 790 

740 to 790 

740 to 860 

740 to 790 

740 to 790 

740 to 790 

740 to 790 

740 to 790 

740 to 790 

740 to 790 

740 to 790 

740 to 790 


+2.16... 




70. 


9.55 


7 to 5 


790 


22.74 


+1.43 




70. 


?56 


7to5 


838 


22. 37 


+1.21 




70. 


?57 


7to5 


800 


23.00 


—1.50 




None. 


?58 


7 to 5 


788 


23.46 


-1.59 




Do. 


959 


7 to 5 


792 


23.30 


—1.97 




Do. 


260 


7to5 


809 


23. 37 


-2.95 




Do. 


261 


7 to 5 


793 


22. 62 


—1.72 




Do. 




7 to 5 


868 


22.93 


No flow 




Do. 


?6? 


Flows 








7to5 


768 


21.96 


-2.59 








No flow 




None. 


963 


Flows 








7to5 


797. 09 


22.56 


-1.62 






?64 


—2. 62. . . 


500 


None. 


265 


7to5 


790± 


22. 12 


—2.71.. 




?66 


7 


790± 


21.55 


—2.43 






267 


7 


790± 


21.08 


—2.29 






268 


7 to 5 


790± 


19.57 


— .59 




None. 


269 


7to5 


790± 


18.66 


+ .89 




70. 


770 


7 to 5 


860± 


19. 34 


+1.26... 




70. 


271 


7 to 5 


790± 


18.21 


+2.71 




70. 


272 


7 to5 


793± 


18.29 


+2.86 




70. 


273 


7 to 5 


790+ 


17.89 


+3.66 




70. 


274 


7 to 5 


793± 


18.78 


+2.76 




70. 


275 


7to5 


790± 


18.71 


+ 1.94 




70. 


?76 


7 to 5 


790± 


23.93 


-0.59 




None. 


?77 


7 to 5 


790± 


22.06 


-0.82 




Do. 


278 


7to5 


790± 


20.59 


-0.56 




Do. 


279 


9to7 


790± 


23.15 


-2.32 




Do. 



a For analysis of water, see table facing p. 110. 
14926°— wsp 335—14 11 



162 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
Wells and springs in Galveston County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 



280 
281 
282 
2S3 
284 
285 

286 

287 
2S8 
2S9 
290 
291 
292 
293 
294 
295 
296 
297 
298 
299 

300 
301 
302 
303 
304 
305 

306 

307 
308 
309 
310 

311 

312 
315 
316 
317 
318 
319 
320 
321 
322 
323 
324 
325 
326 
327 
328 
329 
330 
331 



332 6 



Diameter of 
well. 



333 
334 

335 

336 
337 
338 

339 

340 

341 
342 



Inches. 

9 to 7 

4 

6 

6 

Si 

2 

2 

,3 

2 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

2 

2 

2 

2 

i;:::::::. 



3'. 



Depth of well. 



790 ±. 

100. 

700. 

700. 

105. 

183. 

433. 

420. 

763. 

576. 

702. 

630. 

914. 

3C3. 

306. 

60.. 



Feet. 



80.. 
803. 
750. 



750 

495 

750 

230 

435 

1,000 (?). 

726 



500. 
710. 
710. 
220. 

695. 



690.... 
690(?). 
622.... 
600. - - . 
675.... 
700. - - . 
623.... 
603...- 
750.... 
550. . - . 
700.... 
675.... 
603... - 
650.... 
640. . - - 



640. 
750. 

783. 

850. 
560. 

640. 

600. 
624. 
700. 

588. 



1,000. 

770. . , 
800.. 



Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 



25.16. 



Feet. 



18 

8 to 13. 



07. 



12. 



19.... 
24'('?'). 



25(?). 
22(?). 

14(?). 



19(7). 
25(7). 



Depths to princi- 
pal water- 
bearing strata. 



Feet. 
740 to 793. 



100. 



SO. 



332,495. 
750 



fl8to26 

J408to423.... 
1 678 to 602.... 
1711 to 726 a .. 

230,500 

710 

710 

220 

#20 

\695 

630 

670to690(?). 

590 



500 to 515, 640... 

650,750 

(520 to 532, 700 to 
\ 783 

630,750,850 



/20 

1560,640. 

600 

624 

700 

/300 

\588 

625 

^860 

11,000... 

/400 

\770 

/400 

\800 



Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 



Feet. 
-4.07.... 



-12... 
Flows. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 

do. 

do. 

....do. 
+15... 
+6.... 



+3.... 

+30... 
+10... 
Flows. 
....do. 



+8.... 
+15... 
Flows. 
....do. 
....do. 



+30... 

+30... 
+4.... 
+14... 
Flows. 
+10... 
Flows. 
....do. 
....do. 
+8...- 
Flows. 
+10... 
Flows. 



Flows. . . 

do... 

do... 

+8 

+3 

►+10 

+8 

Flows. . . 

M-io 

Flows. . . 

+32 

Flows. . . 

do.. 

do.. 

-10 

Flow 

No flow. 



+4. 



Yield per 
minute. 



Pump. Flow 



Galls. 



Galls. 
Do. 



15. 

10. 

80. 

64. 

68. 

120. 

60. 

40. 

25. 

30. 

10. 

12. 

12. 

9. 

10 to 
12. 

25. 

40. 

25to30. 

25. 

65. 



66. 

40. 

100. 

100. 

10. 

100. 

57. 
200. 
25. 
55. 



4. 
10. 

2. 

100. 

100. 
30. 

200. 

30. 

14. 

40. 

34. 

Large. 

Small. 

None. 

5. 

None. 

35. 

38. 






a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 
Wells and springs in Galveston County, Tex. — Continued. 



163 



No. 



343 

344 
345 
346 
347 

348 

349 



350 

351 

352 

353 
354 
355 

356 

357 
358 
359 

360 

361 



No. 



222 

223 
224 
225 
226 
227 
228 
229 
230 
231 
232 
233 
234 



235 



236 
237 

238 
239 
240 
241 



242 
243 



Diameter of 
well. 



Inches 
6 

44 

44 

3 

3 

3 

8 

2 

6 

8 

4 

4 

44 

HI 

10 



Depth of well. 



Feet. 



800. 

725. 
912. 
575. 
590. 
576. 

750. 



1,261. 
99... 
650.. 



550,530. 
562,410. 
420 

1,020... 

525 

750 

580..... 



910. 



900. 



Source of supply. 



Lissie 



....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Marine Miocene 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Lissie 



.do. 



Lissie. 

do. 

do. 



..do 

..do 



Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 



Feet. 



11. 



174- 



41. 



12. 



Depths to princi- 
pal water-bearing 
strata. 



/400. 
\800. 



Feet. 



/36to41.. 
\619 to 640. 



/700to 730 

\935 to 1,020 a. 



525, 750 

580 

[294,363 

|427,477 

1597,649.... 
l827to843&. 
770 to 900. . 



Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 



Feet. 



+8.... 
Flows. 

do. 

do. 

....do. 
.....do. 



Yield per 
minute. 



Pump. 



Galls. 



-34. 



Plows. 
-3.... 



Flows. 
.....do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 



Flows. 
+5.... 
+3.... 



70. 



1,500. 



Flow. 



Galls. 

4. 

70. 

70. 

62. 

69. 

52. 



200. 



Quality. 



Brackish. 



.do., 

.do.. 

.do., 

.do.. 
..do.. 
..do.. 

.do.. 
..do.. 
..do.. 

.do.. 

.do.. 
..do.. 



..do. 



Beaumont Fair 



Brackish a . 



.do. 



Brackish 

do 

Alkaline-saline a . 



Brackish. 
do... 



Remarks. 



The water from the 1,346 reservoir is inferior to 
that in the 840-foot reservoir. 



/Galveston deep well; begun, Apr. 14, 1891; com- 
\ pleted, August, 1892. 



Formerly used in the company's boilers. 

The water from this well (No. 1) is the best on 
the island and has been used for steaming. 

No. 2 well; water same as in well No. 237. 

No. 3 well. 

Used formerly for steaming. 

No. 1 well; water formerly used in boilers and In 
manufacturing ice. Well has nearly ceased to 
flow. 

No. 2 well; water formerly used in boilers. 

Three wells, not more than 100 feet apart, which 
interfere with each other's flow. No. 1 has 
nearly ceased to flow, owing probably to clog- 
ging of strainer. Water was formerly used in 
company's boilers and in manufacturing ice. 
A boiler using water from wells Nos. 1 and 2 
was found to be in good condition by H. E. 
Stringfellow, inspector for the insurance com- 
pany, after four years' use. 



a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



164 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
Wells and springs in Galvesto?i County, Tex. — Continued. 



No, 



244 



245 

246 

247 
249 
250 
251 
252 
253 
254 
255 
256 
257 
258 
259 
260 
261 

262 



263 

264 
265 
266 
267 
268 
269 
270 
271 
272 
273 
274 
275 
276 
277 
278 
279 
2S0 
284 
285 
286 
287 
288 
289 
290 
291 
292 
293 
294 
295 
2% 
297 
298 
299 
300 
301 
302 



306 

307 
308 



309 
310 



Source of supply 



Lissie. 



{Beaumont. 
Lissie 
....do 

...do 



.do. 
.do. 



Lissie 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

{Beaumont 
....do 
Lissie 

{Beaumont 
....do 
Lissie 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do.. 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Beaumont 

....do 

....do 

Lissie 

Beaumont (?). 

Lissie 

....do 

....do 

Beaumont — 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Lissie 

....do 

....do 

Beaumont 

Lissie 



Quality. 



Brackish a 



Salty a. 



Brackish o. 



.do., 
.do.a. 



Good 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Alkaline-saline «. 
Good 



.do. 



.do. 



{Beaumont. 
....do 
Lissie 
....do 

Beaumont. 



do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Alkaline-saline a. 

Good 

Good 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Soft 

Good 

do 

do.. , 

do 

do , 

do , 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do , 

do 

Soft , 



Soft 

Sulphur. 
Soft a.... 



.do. 



Lissie. 



....do 

Beaumont. 



.do. 



Good a . 



Good 



Remarks. 



Temperature, 83° F. Not suitable for locomo- 
tive boilers; formerly used by the Heidenheim- 
er o'.l mill for steaming. From same stratum 
as Galveston city wells. 

! Water formerly used in boilers by mixing \ arte- 
sian and J condensed water before being fed to 
the boiler. 
Temperature, 83° F. Water not well suited for 

boilers. 
Temperature, 84° F. 
Temperature, 80° F.; two wells. 
Oil test well. 
Well No. 26. 
Well No. 24. 
22. 
20. 
18. 
16. 
14. 
12. 
10. 



Well No. 
Well No. 
Well No. 
Well No. 
Well No. 
Well No. 
Well No. 
Well No. 8. 
WeU No. 6. 



Well No. 4. 



WeU No. 2. 

Well No. 1. 

Well No. 3. 

Well No. 5. 

Well No. 7. 

Well No. 9. 

Well No. 11. 

Well No. 13. 

Well No. 15. 

Well No. 17. 

Well No. 19. 

WeU No. 21. 

WeU No. 23. 

Well No. 25. 

Well No. 27. 

Well No. 29. 

Well No. 31. 

WeU No. 33. 

Temperature, 67' F.; completed, 1903. 

Two wells. 



Used for irrigation of truck. 

Supply has decreased. 

Used for truck irrigation. Flow has decreased. 

Completed, 1894; decreased by proximity of other 

wells. 

{Completed, 1891; used for locomotive boilers; 
supplv decreased by silt in strainer. Tempera- 
ture, 77° F. 

Completed , 1889; used for truck irrigation. Tem- 
perature, 70° F. 

Used for drinking. Temperature, 70° F. About 
1890 the pressure was 16 pounds to the square 
inch. At that time Mr. Tacquard had piped 
the water into his house, and it escaped from 
the faucet in the second story with consid- 
erable force. 

Completed, 1900. 



o For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 
Wells and springs of Galveston County, Tex. — Continued. 



166 



No. 



311 

312 
315 
316 
317 
318 
319 
320 
321 
322 
323 
324 
325 
326 
327 
328 
329 
330 
331 

332 
333 

334 
335 
336 



337 
338 

339 

340 



341 
342 

343 

344 
345 
346 

347 
348 
349 
350 

351 

352 

353 
354 
355 

356 

357 
358 
359 

360 

361 



Source of supply. 



/ Beaumont. 
\Lissie .« 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

..do 

...do 

...do 

..do 



.do. 
.do. 



/Recent (?). 

\ do 

do 



...do 

...do 

/Beaumont. 
\ Lissie 

...do 



/Beaumont. 

\ Lissie 

/Beaumont. 

\Lissie 

/Beaumont. 
\Lissie 



Lissie. 



.do. 



Beaumont. 

Lissie 

....do 

....do 



Quality. 



/Beaumont (?). 
\Lissie 



Lissie . 



Lissie 

...do 

(Beaumont. 

I. ...do 

] Lissie 

..do 

do 



\Sott 

do. a. 

Sulphur. 

Soft 

Good.... 

do... 

do... 

do... 

do... 

do... 

do... 

do... 

do.. 

do.. 

do... 

do... 

do... 

Hard.... 
Soft 



Slightly alkaline. 
Soft 



....do., 

•Hard... 
Good a. 



.do. 
.do. 



Good.. 
....do. 



Slightly sulphur. 



Sulphur. 



Sulphur . 
Good... 
....do.. 
....do.. 



.do.. 

.do.a. 



Good 

....do 

....do 

/Good. 
\Alkaline-saline.a 



Soft... 
•Soft a. 



Remarks. 



/Completed, 1898; used for truck irrigation. Flow 
\ has decreased. 

Temperature, 70' F. 

Used for truck irrigation. 

Completed, 1903; used for truck irrigation. 



Completed, 1903; used for truck irrigation. 

Flow has decreased; used for irrigating straw- 
berries. 

Completed, 1898; used for truck irrigation. 

Completed, 1894; used for truck irrigation; yield 
60,000 gallons per day, natural flow. 

Completed, 1893; used for truck irrigation. 

Completed, 1896; used for truck irrigation. 

Analysis corresponds very closely to that of water 
from 711 to 726 feet in the Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe well at Hitchcock (No. 306) and to 
that from 710 feet in the J. Tacquard well, 1J 
miles northwest of Hitchcock (No. 308), leading 
to inference that the same sand lens .supplies 
the wells. 

Used for irrigation. 



Failure to develop a flowing well from the 1,000- 
foot reservoir was probably due to the mistake 
of the driller. 

^Completed, 1893; used for public supply and for 

J boilers. 

(Completed, 1895; supplies steamships and loco- 

I motives. 

\Completed, 1895; used in boilers; flow interfered 

/ with by some obstruction. 



Probably draws from stratum corresponding to 
827 to 882 stratum in the Galveston deep well 
No. 1 well. 

No. 2 well. This company owns five similar 
wells at this point. 

Temperature, 78.5° F. 

Completed, 1907; used for irrigation. 

Begun, Tune 25, 1907; completed, Aug. 24, 1907; 
drilled for oil; test developed 500 to 700 gallons 
of water per 24 hours. 
Good, wholesome water. 

\Begun, Oct. 30 1906; completed, Dec. 15, 1906; 
J used for locomotive boilers. 
Two wells. 
Do. 



Formerly flowed. 

Completed, 1897; used for truck irrigation. 

Supply has decreased; used for irrigating oranges. 



/Completed, 1907; used for rice irrigation. 
\ ral flow varies. 

Completed, 1904; used for engine boilers. 



Natu- 



a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



166 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

235. ' Section of Galveston deep well, Galveston, Tex. 

[By J. A. Singley.] 
Pleistocene: Feet. 

Buff gray sand P- 46 

Reddish-brown clay, inclosing calcareous concretions, 
ferruginous sandstone, and quartz pebbles, nodules of 

dark-gray clay, and shell fragments 46- 63 

Mottled red and blue clay, full of shell fragments. The 
last 16 feet of this clay is full of lignitic matter and has 

fewer shells 63- 100 

Gray sandy clay 100- 110 

Fine gray sand containing some fragments of lignite. . . 110- 167 

Buff-colored sandy clay 167- 279 

Fine gray sand containing a few fragments of lignite. . . 279- 305 

Grayish-brown clay inclosing fragments of lignite 305- 315 

Fine sand, varying in color from gray to ash gray and 
buff gray. Fragments of lignite were met with 
throughout this bed, and the last 35 feet were slightly 

micaceous 315- 440 

Grayish-brown clay containing fragments of lignite, 
shells, coral , and fragments of the claw of a crustacean . 440- 458 
Age doubtful: 

Gray sandy clay, slightly micaceous 458- 468 

Brownish-gray sandy clay 468- 497 

Fine light-gray clayey sand, micaceous 497- 575 

Brownish-gray sandy clay 575- 592 

Gray sand, micaceous 592- 612 

Brownish sandy clay containing a few shell fragments. . 612- 647 

Light-gray sandy clay 647- 674 

Reddish-brown sandy clay containing finely commi- 
nuted shell fragments 674- 706 

Buff-colored sand, slightly micaceous 706- 720 

Brownish-gray clayey sand 720- 737 

Light-gray clayey sand, the last 11 feet containing a few 

shell fragments and large pieces of lignite 737- 827 

Coarse silver-gray sand composed of angular fragments of 
translucent and smoky quartz, not much waterworn. 
This is the water-bearing sand from which most of the 
city's water supply was derived previous to the sink- 
ing of the Alta Loma wells 827- 882 

Buffy sandy clay 882- 893 

Gray sand full of fragments of lignite and a few shells. . 893- 903 

Brownish-clayey sand 903- 911 

Indurated coarse gray quartz sand inclosing fragments of 
lignite and shells (too finely comminuted for deter- 
mination), calcareous concretions, and small ferru- 
ginous sandstone pebbles 911- 914 

Fine ash-gray micaceous sand 914- 930 

Fine clayey sand, changing from brownish gray above 
through olive-buff to ash-gray below, micaceous 
throughout 930-1, 032 

i Hill, R. T., Geography and geology of the Black and Grand prairies, Texas: Twenty-first Ann. Rept. 
U. S. Geol. Survey, 1901, pt. 7, pp. 402-406. 



SOUTHEASTEKN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 167 

Age doubtful — Continued. Feet. 

Sandy clay, varying buff, brownish, and greenish tints. 1, 032-1, 260 

Coarse gray quartz sand (water-bearing sand) 1, 260-1, 288 

Greenish-gray sandy clay 1, 288-1, 319 

Buff-colored clay 1,319-1,330 

Coarse gray sand, composed of rounded, waterworn frag- 
ments of quartz (water-bearing sand) 1, 330-1, 340 

Greenish-gray sandy clay 1, 340-1, 357 

Brownish clay 1, 357-1, 367 

Ash-gray clay 1,367-1,384 

Reddish-tinted coarse gray sand 1, 384-1, 393 

Greenish sandy clay 1, 393-1, 410 

Buff sandy clay . 1, 410-1, 430 

Greenish-gray sandy clay, the last 6 feet changing to 

buff color ; 1, 430-1, 448 

Medium coarse sand of rounded fragments of translucent 
and smoky quartz ; a ferruginous stain gives this sand 

a reddish tint 1, 448-1, 454 

Greenish-gray sandy clay, the lower 9 feet shading into 

buff color 1, 454-1, 482 

Brownish clay 1, 482-1, 493 

Upper Tertiary: 

Greenish-gray sand, micaceous (water-bearing sand) ... 1, 493-1, 511 
Laminated greenish clay, containing small rounded peb- 
bles of ferruginous quartz and sandstone, jasper, flint, 
calcareous concretions, a few fragments of opalized 
wood, shells, lignitized wood and fruits, and fragments 

of claws of a crustacean 1, 511-1, 606 

Brownish-gray sandy clay 1, 606-1, 628 

Brownish-gray clayey sand 1, 628-1, 754 

Cream-colored gritty calcareous conglomerate 1, 754-1, 758 

Fine gray sand, micaceous 1, 758-1, 780 

Olive-buff sandy clay 1, 780-1, 800 

Fine greenish-gray sand, micaceous 1, 800-1, 832 

Olive-buff sandy clay 1,832-1,845 

Fine dark-gray sand 1, 845-1, 876 

Brownish clay, containing fragments of lignite, calcare- 
ous concretions, and finely comminuted shell frag- 
ments 1, 876-1, 895 

Dark-gray sand, micaceous 1, 895-1, 923 

Greenish sandy clay, containing calcareous concretions 
and lignitized wood and fruits. A few broken shells 

were taken from between 1,879 and 1,990 feet 1, 923-2, 036 

Fine gray clayey sand 2, 036-2, 060 

Buff sandy clay 2, 060-2, 068 

Greenish-gray clayey sand 2, 068-2, 097 

Laminated greenish clay containing calcareous concre- 
tions, fragments of lignite, and shells too poorly pre- 
served for identification 2, 097-2, 138 

Upper Miocene: 

Fine dark-gray sand, micaceous 2, 138-2, 153 

Greenish clay (the first 10 feet laminated) containing 
lignitized wood and well-preserved fruits and corals. 
The color markings are preserved on some of the shells 
from this stratum 2, 153-2, 196 



168 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OP 

Upper Miocene — Continued. Feet. 

Indurated fine gray sand 2, 196 -2, 220 

Dark- colored clay, full of lignitized wood and fruits, 

corals, fish vertebrae, and shells 2, 220 -2, 249 

Light buff-gray clayey sand 2, 249 -2, 288 

Siliceous calcareous shell conglomerate, of a bluish- 
gray color and very hard, 40 hours having been 

taken to penetrate the 3£ feet 2, 288 -2, 291. 5 

Buff-gray clayey sand 2, 291. 5-2, 310 

Light-gray sand, micaceous 2, 310 -2, 323 

Brownish sandy clay 2, 323 -2, 330 

Greenish-gray clayey sand 2, 330 -2, 345 

Medium coarse gray sand, composed of well-rounded 
translucent and smoky quartz fragments, mica- 
ceous (water-bearing sand) 2, 345 -2, 377 

Greenish clay, inclosing a few comminuted shell 

fragments and particles of lignite 2, 377 -2, 387 

Mottled blue and brownish clay containing calca- 
reous concretions, rounded pebbles of ferrugi- 
nous quartz, nodules of iron pyrites, fragments 

of lignitized wood, and shark teeth 2, 387 -2, 410 

Laminated blue clay, containing calcareous con- 
cretions, iron pyrites, rounded calcareous and 
ferruginous sandstone pebbles, lignite, coral, shark 

teeth, and shells 2, 410 -2, 425 

Red and greenish mottled clay, containing a few 
rounded pebbles of flint, iron pyrites in nodules, 

lignite, coral, and shells 2, 425 -2, 432 

Buff-colored sand of rounded quartz fragments 

(water-bearing sand) 2, 432 -2, 443 

Mottled brown and greenish clay with calcareous 

concretions, lignite, and fish vertebra? 2, 443 -2, 451 

Lignite 2, 451 -2, 453 

Mottled brown and greenish clay with calcareous 
concretions, rounded pebbles of bluish siliceous 
limestone, lignite, coral, fish spines and verte- 
bra?, otoliths, and water-worn shells 2, 453 -2, 476 

Light-gray sand (water-bearing sand) 2, 476 -2, 485 

Dark-gray sand somewhat coarser than last 2, 485 -2, 504 

Light buff -gray sand, micaceous (water) 2, 504 -2, 521 

Dark-gray sand, micaceous (water) 2, 521 -2, 552 

The last three beds are a continuation of the 
bed at 2,476 to 2,485 feet (water-bearing sand) . 
Laminated greenish clay, with calcareous concre- 
tions, lignite, coral, fish vertebra?, otoliths, shark 

teeth, and shells 2, 552 -2, 567 

Greenish-gray micaceous sand. A large number of 
shells were secured from this sample, but there is 
no doubt that many of them are from the clay 
immediately overlying the sand, as the clay was 
caving in while the pipe was penetrating the sand . . 2, 567 -2, 598 
Mottled brown and greenish clay, containing a large 
number of shells, mostly fragmentary 2, 598 -2, 631 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 169 

Upper Miocene — Continued. Feet. 

Fine ash-gray sand 2, 631-2, 637 

Brownish sandy clay, hard, containing fish vertebrae 

and teeth, otoliths, corals, and shells 2, 637-2, 698 

Buff clayey sand 2, 698-2, 717 

Greenish clay, laminated after the first 16 feet, with cal- 
careous concretions, cylindrical gray sandstone casts 
or concretions, waterworn limestone pebbles, lig- 
nite, coral, fish vertebrse, spines, and teeth, claws 
of a crustacean, and many well-preserved shells. 
Fragments of lignite with teredo borings and a well- 
preserved lignitized cone of one of the conifers were 
found in this bed. The last 60 feet changed to a blu- 
ish color 2,717-2,883 

Gray sand, the grains of very uniform size of rounded 
translucent quartz. A few grains of smoky quartz 
were also found in this sand. A strong flow of water 
was encountered in this bed, forcing the sand for 200 

feet up the pipe. The water was brackish 2, 883-2, 920 

Gray clayey sand 2, 920-2, 985 

Brownish sandy clay 2, 985-3, 025 

Dark-gray sandy clay, micaceous, and containing a few 

fragments of lignite 3, 025-3, 047 

Coarse gray sand of rounded translucent quartz frag- 
ments, slightly micaceous (water-bearing sand). The 
water is brackish, but apparently less so than that 
from any other well on the island 3, 047-3, 070 

Resume. 

Pleistocene 46- 458 

Doubtful 458-1, 510 

Upper Tertiary 1, 510-2, 158 

Upper Miocene ' 2, 158-2, 920 

250. Section of the Atlantic & Pacific Oil Co.'s well on sec. 3, Galveston Island, Tex. 

[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Sand and shell 0- 18 

Clay 18- 28 

Sand and soft mud. 28- 48 

Good showing of oil 48- 50 

Red blue and brown clay 50- 223 

Blue clay with streaks of shell showing oil 223- 306 

Clay with sand 306- 386 

Brown and blue clay 386- 445 

Clay showing oil 445- 470 

Blue clay 470- 480 

Good showing of gas and oil 480- 500 

Blue clay with streaks of shell 500- 648 

Blue clay with streaks of sandstone 648- 690 

Blue clay and sandstone; samples that look like coke or 

burntcoal 690- 759 

Blue clay 759- 776 



170 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Upper Miocene — Continued. Feet. 

Sand showing gas and oil; would have been paying . . . 776- 785 

Hard clay with showing of hard brown sand 785- 818 

Streaks of gumbo, hard drilling 818- 839 

Gumbo 839- 860 

Gumbo, very hard and black 860- 881 

Gumbo 881- 901 

Clay with sand 901- 922 

Clay with brown sand 922- 970 

Sand and shell 970-1, 085 

Clay and shell 1, 085-1, 120 

Shell mixed with sand, white 1, 120-1, 199 

Brownish sand 1, 199-1, 257 

Brownish sand and clay 1, 257-1, 277 

Sand and pebbles 1, 277-1, 297 

Clay mixed with sand and shell 1, 297-1, 337 

Clay and sand 1, 337-1, 357 

Clay 1, 357-1, 377 

Blue clay with sand 1, 377-1, 417 

Not given 1, 417-1, 437 

Sandy clay with shell 1, 437-1, 475 

Clayey sand 1, 475-1, 499 

251-280. Thirty wells (251 to 280) drilled in 1893 and 1894 in a north-south line 
at Alta Loma, Tex., furnish water for the city of Galveston. A. T. Dickey, city 
engineer of Galveston, writes: 

" When drilled these wells furnished about 300,000 gallons each daily. Since that 
time the static head has fallen about 26 feet and the yield decreased to about 100,000each 
daily. It is supposed that the great number of wells driven in this artesian reservoir 
for rice irrigation and other purposes has caused this lowering. Anticipating a further 
decrease in the static head, we are now making estimates and collecting data for the 
installation of a pumping plant sufficient to increase the total yield to 6, 000, 000 gallons 
daily. A test of well No. 1, with a small air compressor, nozzle 125 feet down, in- 
creased the yield from 70 gallons per minute, natural flow, to 500 gallons per minute 
while pumping. This test was continued five days and after the compressor was dis- 
continued the natural flow of the well remained at 70 gallons per minute. While the 
test was being made the natural flow from well No. 3 was reduced about 15 per cent, 
and the natural flow from well No. 5 was reduced about 10 per cent. From the above 
test we know that an abundant supply can be had by pumping, and that the partial 
failure in supply is caused by the lowering of the static head, and not by any serious 
scarcity of water in this artesian area." 

Three water horizons are encountered in the wells, one at 100 to 123 feet which does 
not flow, a second at 489 to 494 feet which flows, and a third at 740 to 868 feet, which 
formerly flowed about 28 feet above the surface but which now only flows in the lower 
places about a foot above the surface . Only the water from the lowest or deepest reser- 
voir is used, the water from the other two reservoirs being cased off. The lowest water 
bed is 128 feet thick and was encountered in all the wells at 740 to 750 feet; but not 
all of the wells were bored through the water-bearing sand. 

At present the wells discharge under their own pressure into a standpipe on the 
north side of the railroad track. 

The original contract called for 33 wells, supplying 5,000,000 gallons of water every 
24 hours. When 30 wells had been completed the yield was 9,000,000 gallons every 
24 hours, or 4,000,000 gallons in excess of the guaranteed amount. 



SOUTHEASTEK^T TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 171 

262. * Section of well No. 4 of the Galveston city waterworks at Alia Loma, Tex. 

[Furnished by E. H. Stobard.] 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Surface soil 0- 4 

Clay 4- 12 

Quicksand 12- 18 

Very red clay 18- 25 

Red quicksand 25- 35 

Clay 35- 37 

Quicksand 37-40 

Red and white clay 40-100 

Sand, water-bearing; no flow 100-123 

White clay 123-150 

Red clay. 150-173 

Very hard red clay 173-1C0 

Hard and soft clay 190-208 

Soft red clay 208-218 

Hard clay 218-230 

Quicksand 230-385 

Hard and soft white clay 385-435 

Soft white clay • 435-478 

White sand and clay 478-488 

Very hard shell rock 488-489 

White water-bearing sand ; first flow 489-494 

Hard white clay 494-500 

Soft white clay 500-514 

Hard and soft white clay 514-560 

Hard white clay : 560-590 

Quicksand 590-611 

Hard clay 611-620 

Soft clay 620-631 

Hard and soft clay 631-703 

Sand and clay 703-735 

Hard white clay 735-740 

Sand, water-bearing 740-868 

Hard red clay 868 

263. Section of well No. 2 of the Galveston city waterworks at Alta Loma, Tex. 
[Taken by E. H. Stobard, September, 1894.] 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel: Feet. 

No log kept 0- 60 

Red and white clay 60-100 

Water-bearing sand cased off 100-123 

White clay 123-150 

Red clay 150-173 

Hard red clay 173-190 

Red clay, hard and soft in places 190-208 

Soft red clay 208-218 

Hard white clay 218-230 

Quicksand 230-385 

Hard and soft white clay 385-435 

Hard white clay 435-478 

i Taylor, T. U., op. cit., pp. 28-29. 



172 UEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel — Contd. Feet. 

Sand and clay 478-488 

Very hard shell 488-489 

Water-bearing sand cased off 489-494 

Hard white clay 494-500 

Soft white clay 500-514 

Hard and soft white clay 514-560 

Hard white clay 560-590 

Quicksand 590-611 

Hard clay 611-620 

Soft clay 620-631 

Hard and soft clay 631-703 

Sand and clay 703-735 

Hard white clay 735-740 

Water-bearing sand 740-768 

302. A. H. Tacquard writes that about a year ago the water in the well became 
free of gas, and is now clear as glass; formerly it was milky looking when first drawn 
but soon cleared. "Gas now fills pipe and prevents a free flow, unless an escape 
is provided. I have never tested to see if it will burn, but it has no scent. The well 
seems to be failing. Several more act the same way. A few shallower ones distantly 
located seem to flow the same constantly. I think the reason is that the vein these 
draw from has not been tapped (that I know of)." 

306. Section of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well, 200 feet east of depot, at 

Hitchcock, Tex. 

[By J. L. Mayes, contractor.] 
Recent : Feet. 

Soil 0-3 

Clay 3 -18 

Surface water-bearing sand 18 - 26 

Beaumont clay : 

Yellow clay 26 - 70 

Fine blue sand (bottom of 9-inch outer casing) 70 -112 

Firmblueclay 112 -185 

Softsandrock 185 -185.5 

Sand 185. 5 -207 

Heavy red clay 207 -240 

Firm sand 240 -284 

Alternate clay and sand 284 -370 

Darkclay 370 -408 

Water-bearing sand 408 -423 

Yellow joint clay 423 -483 

Alternate sand and clay 483 -508 

Tough sand and clay 508 -570 

Blue "lignite" clay 570 -639 

Sand and thin layers of clay 639 -658 

Indurated clay 658 -678 

Lissie gravel: 

Water-bearing sand (bottom of Wheeler well No. 312). 678 -692 

Indurated clay 692 -708 

Sand rock 708 -708.75 

Shells 708. 75-710. 35 

Sand rock 710.35-711.1 

Water-bearing sand (bottom of strainer) 711.1 -726. 1 

Indurated clay. 






SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 173 

315. Section of well of Fred D. Lemke, three-fourths mile south of Hitchcock, Tex. 

Recent deposits and Beaumont clay: Feet. 

Clay 0- 39 

Sand 39-42 

Not given, probably clay 42-120 

Sand 120-130 

Clay 130-400 

Clay and sand mixed 400-440 

Clay 440-500 

Fine sand 500- 

Blue clay -520 

Clay 520-667 

Lissie gravel : 

Shell 667-670 

Water-bearing sand 670-690 

The water-bearing sand is the same that supplies the R. T. Wheeler well (No. 312) 
and that found at 678 to 692 feet in the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well 
(No. 306) at Hitchcock. 

350. Section of well of the Algoa Townsite Co., at Algoa, Tex. 
[Furnished by E. R. Cheesborough.] 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Clay and soil 0- 36 

Sand 36- 50 

Clay , 50- 95 

Caving sand 95- 100 

Red clay 100- 192 

Gumbo 192- 198 

Rock (some stone) 198- 209 

Sand, showing gas 209- 221 

Rock 221- 227 

Hard and soft clay 227- 240 

Joint clay 240- 264 

Hard clay 264- 276 

Gumbo 276- 330 

Clay 330- 405 

Gumbo 405- 423 

Sand rock 423- 440 

Pack sand 440- 449 

Hard sandrock 449- 453 

Sand (water-bearing) 453- 498 

Gumbo 498- 549 

Sandrock 549- 555 

Gumbo (lower part shows gas) 555- 617 

Sand (water-bearing) 617- 677 

Rock 677- 679 

Sand 679- 693 

Gravel 693- 736 

Gumbo 736- 756 

Clay and bowlders 756- 761 

Gumbo 761- 778 

Sandrock 778- 783 

Shale 783- 787 

Gumbo 787- 792 



174 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel — Contd. Feet. 

Sandrock 792- 796 

Gumbo '.. 796- 873 

Gravel 873- 881 

Gumbo 881- 883 

Sandrock : 883- 917 

Hard clay 917- 927 

Gumbo 927- 983 

Sand 983- 996 

Gumbo 996-1,004 

Soft rock, showing little gas 1, 004-1, 010 

Gravel 1, 010-1, 029 

Gumbo 1, 029-1, 039 

Coarse sand 1, 039-1, 072 

Hard rock 1, 072-1, 075 

Gumbo 1, 075-1, 079 

Coarse sand ' 1, 079-1, 085 

Gumbo 1, 085-1, 107 

Sand, gravel, and shell 1, 107-1, 128 

Gumbo 1,128-1,138 

Sand 1, 138-1, 180 

Gumbo 1, 180-1, 217 

Sand 1, 217-1, 226 

Gumbo 1, 226-1, 256 

Rock 1, 256-1, 261 

352. Section of well of the St. Louis, Brownsville <Sc Mexico Railway, at Algoa, Tex. 

[Furnished by E. C. Burgess, engineer.] 

Recent deposits and Beaumont clay: Feet. 

Soilandclay 0- 36 

Sand 36-41 

Clay 41-130 

Shell and sand 130-139 

Clay and gumbo 139-619 

Lissie gravel : 

Sand (water-bearing) 619-640 

Gumbo 640-648 

356. Section of the Galveston, Houston & Henderson Railroad well at League City, Tex. 
[Furnished by R. V. Brewster, resident engineer.jj 

Recent deposits and Beaumont clay: Feet. 

Soil 0- 8 

Yellow clay 8- 100 

Blueshale 100- 110 

Fine sand 110- 114 

Blueclay 114- 160 

Sand 160- 165 

Clay and gravel 16&- 170 

Hardpan • 170- 180 

Clay 180- 202 

Sand 202- 210 

Clay and gravel 210- 225 

Clay 225- 262 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 175 

Recent deposits and Beaumont clay — Continued. Feet. 

Fine sand 262- 285 

Blueclay 285- 390 

Blue sandy clay 390- 450 

Liesie gravel: 

Sand 450- 470 

Blueclay 470- 500 

Blue sand 500- 508 

Hard clay 508- 515 

Clay 515- 523 

Rock 523- 524 

Clay 524- 645 

Sandy clay 645- 690 

Rock 690- 693 

Clay 693- 700 

Good water sand 700- 730 

Clay 730- 760 

Blueclay 760- 800 

Blue sandy clay 800- 930 

Clay and gravel 930- 935 

Good coarse sand (water bearing) 935- 975 

Sand and gravel (water bearing) 975-1, 020 

360. Section of well of Kohfeldt & Brawn, three-fourths mile northeast of 

Lamar que, Tex. 

[Furnished by Franz Kohfeldt.] 

Recent deposits and Beaumont clay: Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Gumbo 0-294 5 

Sand 294 5-348 6 

Clay 348 6-363 7 

Sand. 363 7-384 2 

Clay 384 2-427 5 

Sand 427 5-455 11 

Clay 455 11-477 

Sand 477 0-491 

Clay 491 0-501 

Sand 501 0-504 

Clay : 504 0-597 7 

Sand. 597 7-610 

Clay 610 0-615 

Sand 615 0-618 

Clay 618 0-627 11 

Sand , 627 11-630 11 

Clay 630 11-651 6 

Mud sand 651 6-686 7 

Lissie gravel: 

Clay and gumbo 686 7-819 1 

Sand 819 1-821 1 

Mixed clay 821 1-827 1 

Fine sand (water bearing) 827 1-843 

Rock (water bearing) 843 0-843 3 

Sand (water bearing) 843 3-894 5 

Mixed clay 894 5-908 7 

Rock 908 7-909 3 

Mixed clay 909 3-923 8 



176 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

361. Section ofGaheston, Houston & Henderson Railroad well at Lamarque, Tex. 

[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Soil 0- 10 

Shell 10-40 

Clay 40-50 

Fine sand 50- 70 

Sandy clay 70-130 

Blue clay 130-574 

Fine sand 574-612 

Arenaceous clay 612-700 

Sand 700-715 

Arenaceous clay 715-725 

Blue clay 725-770 

Fine sand and gravel (water bearing) 770-840 

Sand and gravel (water bearing) 840-900 

GREGG COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

Beneath Gregg County one artesian reservoir, the lower Eocene, 
is available. In places sands of the Wilcox formation are covered 
by remnants of the Mount Selman formation; but over a large por- 
tion of the county and especially in the Sabine River bottoms they 
form the surface, Sabine River having cut through and removed the 
former capping of the Mount Selman formation. The area of flowing 
wells, of which only two are known (Nos. 362 and 367), is confined 
almost entirely to the Sabine River bottoms. (See PI. VIII, in 
pocket.) 

The sands of the Wilcox formation are practically without dip in 
this county. Different beds are struck in wells at depths ranging 
from 100 feet above sea level to 500 feet below. 

In Gregg County water from this horizon is inclined to be mineral- 
ized (see well No. 362 below), but is well adapted for drinking and 
for ordinary domestic use. At Longview water from a sand in this 
reservoir at 567 to 603 feet below the surface was not suitable for 
locomotive boilers. 



SOUTHEASTEKN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



177 



WELL DATA. 

Details of the wells appear in the following table: 

Wells and springs in Gregg County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Survey, headright, 
or street. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


362 
363 


Kilgore, 5 miles 

northeast. 
Gladewater, 2 

miles east. 
Longview, \ mile 

south. 


J. L. Meredith 
survey . 


John 0. Buenz 

J. H. Simmons 


H. Dallmer 


John 0. Buenz. 
J. H. Simmons.* 


364 
365 


A. R. Johnson 

headright. 
Texas & Pacific 

right of way, 25 

feet south. 


Mrs. John Ware. . . 
R. G. Brown 


W.H.Todd 


G. T. Reynolds. 
F. B. Brown. 


366 


... do .. 


Longview Water- 
works. 

Texas & Pacific 
Ry. Co. 




A. Deussen. 


367 


Longview, near 
International & 
Great Northern 
Railroad depot. 




Texas & Pacific 
Ry. Co. 


B. S. Wathen, chief 
engineer. 







No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata . 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Pumps per 
minute. 




Inches. 
10 


Feet. 
1,999 


Feet. 
283± 


Feet. 
(50 to 64 


Feet. 
Flow 


Galls. 


36? 


{72to74 

1338 to 750 


do 

+12 








310 






363 


No flow 

—10 


Large. 


364 


8 


1,900 


322 


1,300 


365 


5-3 


585 


319 


450,580 


Flows 




366 










No flow 

do 


52. 


367 


10 


603 


339 


567 to 603 


50 to 60. 

















No. 


Source of supply. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


36? 


Wilcox 




Prospect well; abandoned. Water suitable for 


363 






drinking; completed, 1904. 
At Obyrnes switch. 
Oil test well; completed in 1903. 
Completed in 1890. Water formerly used by the 

ice factory; not suitable for boilers. 
Three shallow wells; public water supply. Water 

suitable for boilers. 
Drilled in 1892; leased to Longview Ice Co. for the 

manufacture of ice. Not good for locomotives. 


364 


Cretaceous (?) 


Soft 


365 


Wilcox 


Hard 


366 




Good 


367 


Wilcox 


Hard 









a Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and eastern Arkansas: 
Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1906, p. 230. 



14926°— wsp 335—14- 



-12 



178 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

362. Section of John 0. Buenz' s well, 5 miles northeast of Kilgore, Tex. 

[Furnished by Mr. J. O. Buenz.] 

Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Sandstone - 17 

Lignite 17 - 21 4 

Blue clay 21 4- 35 4 

Sandstone 35 4- 35 8 

Blue clay 35 8- 50 8 

Quicksand, water flow (soft water) 50 8 - 64 8 

Lignite - 64 8 - 65 8 

Shale 65 8- 66 8 

Lignite 66 8- 69 2 

Shale 69 2- 70 

Lignite 70 0- 72 6 

Sand, water-beariDg (good water) 72 6 - 74 

Shale 74 0- 91 

Lignite 91 0- 94 

Black shale 94 - 128 

Lignite 128 0- 130 6 

Clay and shale 130 6 - 329 

Clay and soapstone 329 - 338 

Sand, water-bearing (rose 12 feet above the surface 

in 10-inch casing) 338 - 610 

Clay and sandstone, the sandstones carrying water; 

water cased off at the bottom of this stratum 610 - 750 

Hard green rock (probably sandstone) 750 - 755 

Sandstone and bowlders of " flint " 755(?) -1, 999 7 

The strata here penetrated, at least to 750 feet, are undoubtedly members of the 
Wilcox. It would seem from this depth that Cretaceous beds have been entered. 

Mr. Buenz writes: "The well was drilled on land in a large bend of Sabine River. 
At low water coal can be seen outcropping along the river, and this led to the drilling 
in the expectation of finding coal. The well is about 2 miles from the river." 

T. U. Taylor gives ' a "Partial record of well 6 miles south of Longview, Gregg 
County." This well is almost certainly the same as the well above described. His 
section, which was copied from the driller's notes, gives the lower portion in much 
better detail, and is therefore herewith reproduced: 

i Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 66. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 179 

Section of Buenz well, 6 miles southwest of Longview, Tex. 

Feet. 

No record (see section above) 0- 285 

Wilcox and Midway formations: 

Soapstone 285- 305 

" Flint " (probably hard sandstone) 305- 307 

Soapstone 307- 322 

Shaly clay 322- 329 

Sandy shale 329- 353 

Clay 353- 356 

Sandy shale 356- 437 

Clay 437- 452 

Sandy shale 452- 487 

"Flint". 487- 489 

Sandstone " 489- 543 

Lignite 543- 545 

Clay 545- 551 

Sand 551- 571 

"Flint" 571- 574 

Sandy shale 574- 710 

Clay 710- 745 

Sandstone 745- 756 

Water-bearing sand 756- 780 

Sandstone 780- 880 

Clay 880- 892 

Sandy shale 892-1, 027 

Clay 1, 027-1, 034 

Sandy shale 1, 034-1, 199 

"Flint" 1, 199-1, 200 

Sandstone 1, 200-1, 246 

Sandy shale 1, 246-1, 424 

Cretaceous: 

Gumbo 1, 424 

365. Section of R. G. Brown's well at Longview, Tex. 

[Furnished by Mr. F. B. Brown.] 

Mount Selman formation: Feet. 

Sand and clay 0- 90 

Wilcox formation: 

Lignite 90-100 

Shale 100-102 

Blue sand 102-252 

Interstratified rock and clay 252-352 

Gray water sand; water did not rise to surface; cased off. . 352-450 

Clay (?) 450- 

Water-bearing sand -580 

Water from the sand at 580 feet formed a slight incrustation when used for steaming. 
Mr. Brown states that it could be used in boilers. This well is not now used. 
Another well was put down 20 feet away to 60 feet, at which depth a hard rock, which 
could not be penetrated, was encountered, and the well was abandoned. 



180 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

867. Section of Texas & Pacific Railway Co.'s well at Lonyview, Tex. 
(Furnished by B. S. Wathen, chief engineer.] 

Mount Selman formation: Feet. 

Clay 0-35 

" Limestone " (probably sandstone) 35- 45 

Wilcox formation: 

Shale 45- 76 

Sandrock 76-148 

Black shale 148-156 

Shale 156-200 

Sandrock 200-220 

Shale 220-245 

Sandrock 245-269 

Shale 269-345 

Slate 345-370 

Shale 370-480 

Slate 480-491 

Sandrock 491-510 

Sand 510-522 

Shale 522-567 

Pack sand 567-603 

Well drilled by company in 1892; 10-inch casing for 147 feet; 8-inch for 537 feet 
no casing for 66 feet. Water is not suitable for locomotives. Well is now leased to 
the Longview Ice Co. for manufacture of ice. 

GRIMES COUNTY. 
GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

In Grimes County the sands and clays of the Yegua formation, the 
Catahoula sandstone, the Fleming clay, and the sands of the Dewitt 
formation constitute the successively outcropping strata from north 
to south. (See PL I, in pocket.) Of these, the Yegua, the Catahoula, 
and the Dewitt constitute the available water horizons. 

Lower Eocene. — In the northernmost portion of the county the 
lower Eocene sands are reached in wells 575 to 1,900 feet deep. 
Where wells have to be drilled to depths exceeding 2,000 feet to draw 
from this reservoir, the water will probably be unfit for use. 

Yegua formation. — The sands in the Yegua formation will supply 
water to wells everywhere in the county, but yield flows only in the 
lowest portions of the valleys. (See PL VII, in pocket.) At Lamb 
Springs (well No. 378), close to Navasota River, flows were obtained 
from sands at 49 to 52 and at 540 feet. The water was sulphureted 
but was suitable for drinking. 

Catahoula sandstone. — The Catahoula sandstone will supply the 
greater portion of the county with water. In the vicinity of Singleton 
the wells will necessarily be shallow, 50 to 200 feet, but they deepen 
toward the south and along the southern line can be completed at 
from 700 to 1,200 feet below sea level (about 1,000 to 1,500 feet 
below the surface). 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



181 



At Navasota a sand belonging to the Catahoula (depth 225 to 250 
feet) yields flows of potable water, and sands in the Catahoula proba- 
bly supply the flowing wells at Courtney. In the southeastern por- 
tion of the county, on the lower levels, the Catahoula will probably 
supply flowing wells, but so far it has not been developed. 

Dewitt formation. — South of a line extending through Navasota and 
Anderson water may be obtained from the Dewitt formation in wells 
varying in depth from 50 to 900 feet. Flows from these sands can 
probably not be secured within the limits of this county. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Grimes County are given in the following table : 

Wells and springs in Grimes County, Tex. 



No. 



368 
369 

370 
371 
372 
373 
374 
375 
376 
377 
378 



379 

380 

381 
382 

383 

384 

385 

386 
387 

388 

389 

390 
391 

392 

393 



394 
395 



Location. 



Navasota 

Navasota, \ mile 

south. 

Navasota 

do 

Grimes County 

Navasota 

do 

Navasota, near 

Navasota 

do 

Navasota, 16 miles 

north.d 

Navasota 

Navasota, 4 miles 

west. 

Navasota 

Navasota, \ mile 

south. 
Navasota, 4 miles 

southwest. 
Navasota, west 

Navasota, north- 
east part. 

Courtney, J mile... 

Courtney 

Singleton, 300 feet 
northeast of post 
office. 

Keith, 2 miles 
southwest. 

Keith, 2 miles west, 

Keith, 3 miles 
southwest. 

Erwin,4imiles 
northwest. 

Roans Prairie 



Yarboro, $mile 

northwest. 
Ulmer, 300 yards, 

southwest. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



George Mason 
headright. 



Isaac Jackson 
League. 



Oak Street. 



Moses Evans sur- 
vey. 

William Fitzgib- 
bon League, 
southeast quar- 
ter. 

Stephen F. Austin 
survey. 



Owner. 



R. A. Sangster. 
A. J. Sangster. . 



Ice factory 

August Horst . 
Shumaker 



W. H. Sauzelier. .. 

Mrs. L. J. Wilson. 

Ice factory 

E. L. Bridge 

Mineral Springs 
Mining & Devel- 
oping Co. 



R. B. Templeman. 



O.M.Heard 

R. B. Templeman. 



J. M. McCord 

do 

Trinity & Brazos 
Valley Ry. 



W. T. Schumacher 



Simon Fuqua. 
R. C. Pope.... 



Mrs. F. H. Yar- 
borough. 

Lake Creek Lum- 
ber Co. 



Driller. 



Gilliam 



Gust Warnecke . . 

Sam Allen , 

Lavne & Bowler, 



.do. 



N. M. Bigelow. 
Tom Little.... 



Layne & Bowler. 



Authority. 



T. U. Taylor.a 
Do. o 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 
Postmaster. 

Do. 
J. A. Singley. b 
F. E.Roesler.c 
H. Freeman, secre- 
tary. 

R. B. Templeman. 
Do. 

Do. 
Do. 

O. M. Heard. 

R. B. Templeman. 

Do. 

J. M. McCord. 

Do. 
Postmaster. 



W. T. Schumacher. 

Do. 
Do. 

Simon Fuqua. 

R. C. Pope. 



Mrs. F. H. Yar- 

borough. 
J. W. Falvey, M. D. 



a Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 42. 

b Singley, J. A., Preliminary report on the artesian wells of the Gulf Coastal slope: Fourth Ann. Rept. 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1893, p. 111. 

c Hinton,R. J., Roesler, F. E., et al., A report on the preliminary investigation to determine the proper 
location of artesian wells within the area of the ninety-seventh meridian and east of the foothills of the 
Rocky Mountains: Senate Ex. Doc, 5lst Cong., 1st sess.. 1890, vol. 12, p. 265. 



182 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
Wells and springs in Grimes County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below ( — ) 

ground. 


Flow per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


S68 


Inches. 
2 


Feet. 
300 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. \ Galls. 
Flows 


Galls. 
60. 


369 




225 





do 




Many. 
Do. 


370 


6... 


250 






do 




371 




1,000 












37? 




101 












373 




280 




220 to 237 








374 


2 


400 (?) 






Flows 






375 


4 


321 






do 






376 


2 


224. 






do 










830 


219 


)250 


—11 






377 


\830 











2 


1,000 


±200 






[49 to 52 


+ 6 




15. 


378 


J 540 


+ 8 




Flow. 






500 




[999 






Do. 


379 




-30 






3S0 




500 






Strong flow ... 






381 




850 






—30 






38? 




300 






Strong flow . . . 






383 


3 


485 




485 


+20 






384 




520 






Flows 






385 




250 






-30 






386 


4 


780 






+20 




40. 


387 


4 


780 






Flows 




10-15. 


388 


8§ 


109 




60... 


—40 


100.... 




389 




760 










390 


8 


1,042 


300(?) 


283 


—40 






391 




760 










39? 




Spring 










393 




do 










394 




do 










395 




150 


j i50 


No flow 












1 









No. 


Source of supply. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


368 








369 








370 








371 








37? 








37T 


Catahoula 


Good « 




374 


do 




In Brazos bottoms. 


375 


...do 




Do. 


376 




Good 






/Catahoula 






ill 


lYeeua(?) 


Potable 


Temperature, 80° F. 




f Yegua 


Sulphur, unfit for 
drinking. 


At Lamb Springs; completed, 1890. 


VH 








Cook Mountain (?) 


Salty, unfit for 
drinking. 




379 




Within a few yards of well No. 385. 


380 






At edge of Brazos bottoms. 


381 




(a) 


Supplies the city waterworks. 


38? 








383 


Catahoula 


Sulphur 




384 


Catahoula (?)... 


(0) 


In Brazos bottom. 


38 s ) 






Within a few yards of well No. 379. 


386 


Catahoula 






387 




Iron and sulphur. . 
Hard 




388 


Catahoula 


Completed, 1906. 


389 








390 


Yegua 


Salt and sulphur . . 


Drilled for oil; completed, 1906; water not used. 


391 




Drilled for oil; well No. 1 on Willis farm; com- 


?9? 




Sulphur 


pleted, 1905. 
Piedmont Springs; had large hotel and bath 


393 




do 


house before the Civil War. 
Kellum Spring. 


394 




Soft 


Spring. 

Water used for boilers; completed, 1906. 


395 


Dewitt 













a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 183 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

373. Section of well at Navasota, Tex. 

Feet. 

Soil 0- 2 

Fleming clay and Catahoula sandstone: 

Clay 2-18 

Sand 18-29 

Blue clay 29-94 

Slate 94-114 

Blue clay 114-216 

Rock 216-220 

Water sand 220-237 

Blue shale 237-277 

Rock 277-280 

377. Partial section of the E. L. Bridge well at Navasota, Tex. 

Feet. 

Black soil 0- 6 

Fleming clay and Catahoula sandstone : 

Joint clay 6- 16 

Sandstone 16-32 

Potter's clay 32-41 

Quicksand 41-121 

Sandstone 121-131 

Sand 131-139 

Gravel 139-151 

Gravel and clay » 151-165 

Sandstone 165-175 

Clay 175-190 

Sandstone and sand 190-310 

Total depth, 830 feet. 

378. Partial section of the Mineral Springs Mining & Development Co.'s well on the 
George Mason headright, 16 miles north of Navasota, Tex. 

[Supplied by James H. Freeman, secretary.] 

Yegua formation: Feet. 

Oily black muck " 0- 6 

"Soapstone" .- 6-10 

Lignite 10 - 12 

Shale and "soapstone " 12 - 32 

Lignite 32 - 34£ 

Potter's clay 34£- 36£ 

"Soapstone" 36£- 38£ 

Lignite 38£- 40£ 

Soapstone or shale 40£- 41£ 

Lignite 41f- 48£ 

Rock (probably sandstone), very hard 48£- 49 

Brown, "umber "-appearing earth; struck slight flow to 

surface of mineral water 49 - 52 

"Rich" lignite 52-62 



184 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Yegua formation — Continued. Feet. 

White sand 62 - 64 

Very hard rock 64 - 64$ 

Blue sandstone 64£- 79J 

White clay (potter's clay) (?) 79^-123} 

Lignite 123$-125£ 

Blue sandrock 125£-142£ 

Clay 142J-150* 

Hard sandstone 150^-153$ 

Clay 153$-165* 

Rock 165£-168£ 

"Hardpan" (rock) 168^-176$ 

Sandstone : 176^-179$ 

Clay 179^-187$ 

Hock 187^-191$ 

Clay 191£-194£ 

Rock 194*-197£ 

Clay 197^-206* 

1 ' Muck " 206^-225* 

Gray sandrock 225^-227$ 

Clay 227£-247£ 

Sandrock 247£-251£ 

Soft sandrock 251$-277£ 

White clay 277£-297£ 

Sandrock 297^-301$ 

' ' Coal, ' ' having same appearance as cannel coal 301£-307£ 

Black "muck" or shale , 307£-322£ 

"Soapstone " 322£-338£ 

Black clay 338*-351| 

Soapstone 351^-361^ 

"Coal " 36li-363J 

Sandrock 363£-365£ 

' ' Coal " (lignite) 365£-369£ 

Rock 369^-374 

Sand and soft rock 374 -380 

"Coal" (lignite) 380 -384 

Rock 384 -394 

Blue clay 394 -412 

Rock 412 -416 

Blue clay 416 -436 

Sandrock 436 -437 

Black clay 437 -452 

"Coal " (lignite) 452 -458 

Sandrock 458 -466 

Blue clay 466 -484 

Sandrock 484 -488 

"Some white hard substance " 488 -508 

The 100 feet below 508 consisted of "hard pan" and clay, alternating. At 756 feet 

"struck pure white marble, 6 inches thick; then 7 feet of coal, and 16 feet of porous 
rock." The remainder of the section is not available. 

The section as far as given represents typical Yegua formation. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 185 

390. Section of W. T. Schumacher well, 2 miles west of Keith, Tex. 
[Section taken by N. M. Bigelow, driller; furnished by W. T. Schumacher.] 

Yegua formation : Feet- 
Clay and sand - 22 

Soapstone 22- 43 

Sandy clay 43- 60 

' ' Limestone " and some gas 60 - 64 

Soapstone, sand, gas 64 - 131 

Hard blue gumbo, gas and oil signs 131 - 142 

Hard gray gumbo, gas and oil signs 142 - 180 

Hard gray gumbo and some lignite 180 - 225 

"Limestone," hard 225 - 228 

Black clay 228 - 234 

Hard "limestone" 234- 259 

Gumbo, hard 259- 281 

Very hard rock 281 - 283§ 

Brown clay with paraffin, oil, and strong black sul- 
phur water 283^- 287 

Hard limestone 287 - 309 

Hard drab gumbo 309- 320 

Drab clay shale 320- 326 

Hard drab gumbo 326- 356 

Hard sandstone 356 - 360 

Hard gumbo 360 - 375 

Hard rock 375 - 376 

Hard blue shale 376 - 420 

Hard dark-blue gumbo 420 - 436 

Soft sandrock 436 - 451 

Hard drab gumbo 451 - 459 

Hard "limestone " 459 - 469 

Hard drab gumbo 469- 488 

Hard "limestone" 488- 491 

Soft " limestone " 491- 504 

Hard "limestone " 504 - 542 

Hard blue shale 542 - 553 

Hard "limestone " 553 - 555 

Hard drab shale 555 - 570 

Hard ' ' limestone " 570 - 573 

Hard drab shale, and oil signs, and some gas 573 - 592 

Hard limestone 592 - 593£ 

Hard drab shale 593£- 671 

Hard "limestone " 671 - 693 

Lignite with paraffin, oil signs, and gas 693 - 694 

Hard "limestone " 694 - 704 

Hard drab gumbo 704- 711 

Hard "limestone " 711 - 721 

Softer rock 721 - 736 

Cook Mountain formation : 

Drab gumbo 736- 743 

Hard rock 743 - 755 

Drab shale, oil signs, and some gas 755 - 767 

Soft rock 767 - 789 

Hard "lime" rock 789- 824 

Softer "lime" rock 824- 852 

Hard shale and gumbo, oil signs, and gas 852 - 894 



186 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Cook Mountain formation — Continued. Feet. 

Soft "limestone" 894- 931 

Hard "limestone" 931- 934 

Softer "limestone" 934- 949 

Hard rock 949 - 953 

Hard shale 953- 989 

Hard rock 989 -1, 015 

Dark-drab gumbo with small shells, considerable gas 

at times 1, 015 -1, 042 

HARDIN COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The Lissie gravel constitutes the outcropping formation in Hardin 
County (see PL I, in pocket) and furnishes the water to most wells. 
Beneath the Lissie gravel lie the Miocene beds. The Lissie gravel 
should preferably be depended on, for the chances for fresh water in 
the Miocene beds at depths exceeding 1,000 feet, even outside of the 
oil fields, are poor. 

The railroads and the sawmills are the only important users of 
artesian waters in this district. 

Miocene beds. — At Saratoga a sand in the Miocene at 670 to 723 
feet yields a flow of salty water, probably derived originally from the 
underlying beds. (See PL IX, in pocket.) 

In the oil fields the supplies are salty at comparatively shallow 
depths. This is noticeably true at Bat son and at Sour Lake, where 
the water from depths exceeding 200 and 100 feet, respectively, is 
unfit for any use. At Saratoga, however, the waters are fresh to a 
depth of 500 feet and salty beneath this level. 

At Batson all the waters beneath 200 feet are perceptibly saline, 
and even above this depth it has been difficult to obtain water suit- 
able for use in boilers. At greater depths the water becomes increas- 
ingly briny. The larger number of wells which stopped between 800 
and 900 feet found abundant salt water below their deepest oil stratum. 
The waters surrounding this oil field are fresh to much greater depths, 
indicating that a vertical circulation of salt water at this place has been 
made possible, probably by a fault or line of structural weakness. 

At Batson fossils found at 323 and 333 feet indicate an uppermost 
Miocene horizon. At Saratoga, according to information furnished 
by E. T. Dumble, Miocene fossils have been taken from the oil-pro- 
ducing stratum at a depth of 1,140 to 1,154 feet. These beds are 
completely buried by the Lissie gravel. At Sour Lake Harris reports 
Jackson fossils from a depth of 1,500 feet. 1 Making no allowance for 
dip, which is negligible, these data would seem to indicate that but 
346 feet of sediment, approximately, are involved in the Oligocene 
at this locality, represented by the Catahoula sandstone and Fleming 
clay. This is much less than these beds measure on the outcrop and 
would indicate that considerable erosion of the upper Oligocene beds 

1 Harris, G. D., Oil in Louisiana: Sp. Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana No. 8, 1902, pp. 273-274. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



187 



had taken place before the Miocene beds were deposited on top of 
them. This is also in accordance with other evidence in this regard. 

At Saratoga the artesian waters are fresh to a much greater depth 
than in the other Hardin County oil fields. The strong flow usually 
found at about 500 feet in the southwestern part of the field is always 
reported as fresh. Below the level of the clay zone which overlies 
the first important oil stratum the water is salty. The 1,400-foot 
sand, after yielding oil in large quantity for a few weeks, began to 
produce large quantities of salt water. 

The 500-foot horizon that produces the fresh artesian water in the 
southwestern part of the field is found at increasing depths to the 
northwest and seems to dip in this direction. It may be, however, 
that there is here an artesian zone rather than an artesian stratum. 
The sands and gravels of stratigraphically different beds may be so 
arranged as to afford continuous passage for fluids, as illustrated by 
figure 15. (See page 156.) 

Lissie gravel. — The Lissie reservoir is usually encountered at com- 
paratively shallow depths — at 100 feet at Olive; 392 to 466 feet at 
Silsbee; 265 to 320 feet at Votaw; 75 to 104, 210 to 235, and 280 to 
387 feet 4 miles north of Saratoga; 72 to 110 feet at Batson, and 303 
to 313 feet at Saratoga. The artesian zone at Saratoga is very pro- 
lific, supplying flowing wells of fresh water. The depth to the zone 
increases to the northwest and flowing wells are found only in the 
valleys. The water supplied by all the sands is potable and is 
adapted to domestic and industrial use. The Silsbee water is used 
in locomotive boilers. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of the wells appear in the following table: 

Wells and springs in Hardin County, Tex. 



Location. 



Survey, headlight, 
or street. 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Authority 



396 Batson. 



397 
398 
399 

400 

401 
402 
403 

404 



405 
406 



do 

do 

Batson, £ mile 

north. 
Batson, U miles 

northwest. 

do 

Batson 

Batson, 1J miles 

north-northwesi. 
Batson, 1* miles 

north. 

Batson, 1 mile 

northwest. 
Batson 



State land. 



Milhouse farm. 



Milholmfarm 

R.C. Duff tract... 
Heywood lease 

Wood & AfcRaven 
Lease, Paraffin 
tract. 



J. M. Guffey Pe- 
troleum Co. 

do 

do 

J. W. Ennis 



S. Private. 



W. Wevant 

R.P. Allen & Co.. 
Crown Oil Co 



....do 

Texas Drilling Co. 

Higgins Oil & 
Fuel Co. 



Scott Clay... 
E. C. Foster. 



Wm. Brown. 
B. R. McBee. 



W. C. Turnbow.. 



Joe Drouot. 



N. M. Fenneman. 6 

Do. c 

Bo.d 

Bob Burton.* 

Texas Drilling Co.* 

W. Wevant. * 
R.P. Allen & Co./ 
Crown Oil Co. 

Do./ 



G. H. Johnson. 
N. M. Fenneman. o 



a For additional data, see notes following table. 

b Fenneman, N. M., Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U. S. Oeol. Survey 
No. 282, 1906, pp. 49-50. 

« Idem, p. 51. 

dldem, p. 50. 

e Fuller, M. L., and Sanford, Samuel, Record of deep-well drilling for 1905: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey 
No. 298, 1906, p. 162. 

/ Fuller, M.L., and Sanford, Samuel, op. cit., p. 160. 

g Fenneman, N. M., op. cit. p. 49. 



188 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Wells and springs in Hardin County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 



Location. 



407 

40S 
409 
410 

411 

412 

413 

414 
415 

416 

417 
418 
419 

420 
421 
422 
423 

424 

425 
426 
427 
428 

429 

430 

431 

432 

433 

434 
435 

436 

437 

438 
439 

440 
441 

442 
443 



Batson 



Survey, headlight, 
or street. 



Owner. 



Silsbee, 1,000 yards 

east. 
Silsbee. \ mile west. 



Olive, J mile north- 
east of post office. 

Saratoga, 4 miles 
north. 

Saratoga 

— do 



Turnbow League. 
Sec. 376 



Liberty School sec- 
tion. 



Saratoga, 3 miles 
west. 

Saratoga 

....do 

....do 



Maria Ximenes 
League, J. F. 
Oliver tract. 

Joseph Blake tract 



Higgins Oil 
Fuel Co. 

Chappell 

Stribling 

S. E. Fowler.. 



Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Ry. 

Olive - Sterhen- 
berg Lumber Co. 

Kountze 



Driller. 



W.J. Giles. 
Jake Giles.. 



Saratoga Oil & |. 
Pipe Line Co. 

LibbieOilCo . 



do 

do 

do 

Saratoga h mile 
east. 



Saratoga \ mile ' 

east. 

Saratoga ' 

do B.B.B.&C.R.R. 

do do 

Votaw, 3 miles i 

south. 
Votaw 



Hardie - Robinson 
Co. 

....do 

do 

Britton Oil Co 

Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Ry. 

do 



Authority. 



Sourlake, 2 miles 

northeast. 
Sourlake, 4 miles 

southeast. 
Sourlake, back of 

post office. 
Sourlake, 1 mile 

northwest. 

Sourlake 

Sourlake, 300 feet 

north of well No. 

434. 
Sourlake, 3 miles 

northeast. 
Sourlake, 2,000 feet 

north. 

Sourlake 

do 



.do. 
.do. 



.do. 



Dies. 



Byrd Syndicate. 



Isaac Bridges sur- 
vey. 

Stephen - Jackson 
League. 



Shoestring district 



Miles Oil Co. 



Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Ry. 

McShan Lumber 
Co. 



R. Chappell. 



Sourlake Oil Co... 
Great Western Co 



Empire State Oil, 
Coal & Iron Co. 

J. M. Guffey Pe- 
troleum Co. 

....do 

Higgins Oil & 
Fuel Co. 

do 

Atlantic & Pacific 
Oil Co. 

do 

Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Ry. 



Joe Drouot 

The company, F. 
A. Redmond, 
superintendent. 

do 



James Countz.. 



A. H. Foster. 



McKallip Bros. 



X. Sinclair. 



N. M. Fenneman. a 

A. Deussen. 

Do. 
John Fowler. 

C. F. W. Felt, chief 

engineer. 
P.W. Sternenberg, 

jr. 
A. Deussen. 

Do. 

Win. Kennedy. 6 



Do.c 

A. Deussen. 
Do. 
Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
Joe Drouot.** 
Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Ry. 

Do. 

A. Deussen. 

N. M. Fenneman. < 

Do. e 
W. A. Spears, assist- 
ant postmaster. 
T. U. Taylor./ 

T. J. Stevens. 

G. D. Harris, g 

Do. » 

R. Chappell. 

Wm. Kennedy. *' 
Do. i 



Do.* 

Do. l 

N. M. Fenneman.m 
Do. « 

Do.o 
G. D. Harris, ft 

Wm. Kennedy. » 
T. TJ. Taylor v 



a Fenneman, N. M., op. cit., p. 49. 

b Hayes, C.W., and Kennedy, William, Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U.S. 
Geol. Survey No. 212, 1903, pp. 119-121. 

cldem, p. 59. 

d Fuller, M. L., and Sanford, Samuel, Record of deep-well drilling for 1905: Bull. TJ. S. Geol. Survev 
No. 298, 1906, p. 162. 

e Fenneman, N. M., op. cit., p. 62. 

/ Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907. p. 48. 

g Harris, G. D., Oil in Louisiana: Sp. Rept. Geol. Survev Louisiana No. 8, 1902, pp. 273-275. 

ft Idem, p. 274. 

< Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, op. cit., p. 117. 

i Idem, p. 118. 

* Idem, p. 60. 

i Idem, p. 116. 

m Fenneman, N. M., Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 282, 
1906. p. 41. 

«Op. Cit., p. 47. 



o Op. cit., p. 40. 

V Taylor, T. U., op. cit., p. 47. 



SOUTHEASTEBN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 189 

Wells and springs in Hardin County, Tex. — Continued. 



No 


Diameter of 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths of 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

the ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




well. 


Pump. Flow. 


396 


Inches. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Galls. 


Galls. 


397 
398 
399 
400 
401 
402 




1,169 




50 to 90, 120 to 180 




















6 


1 103 




60to480 








6 to 4 


1 134 ' 




72 to 110 






59. 


4 


1 165 




100 to 150 








6 to 4 














403 
404 




483.5 




64 to 105.5 








6 














405 




885 




98 to 190 








406 
407 








1,200 










1,159 -. 




/970to985 

\1,080 to 1,130,1,159 








408 




1,029 










1,371 




(21 to 41 








409 


{241 to 321 




410 








1761 to 821 








411 


8 


468 


±98 


392 to 466 

/30,160 


-30 ;. 


150.... 
120.... 






8 


387 




-75 




412 


\286to339 

(76 to 104 

J210to235 








1,511 




(?) 






Flows 






413 


rln 








8 to 5.5 


912 




1440 to 650 


do 






414 












995 


100 


178 to 173.. 








41o 


1475 












958 


90 


(338 to 348 

^938 


Flows 






416 










10 to 4... 


1,412 




1950 








417 










418 


10 to 4. 


1.424 




303 to 313 

145 to 210 


Flows 






419 




1,495 














893 




/25 to 30 








420 


\670to723 

(185 to 195 


Flows 










1,037 














421 


•1766 to 770 








422 




327 




1841 to 866. 








423 




1,432 




410 to 535 








424 




1,428 




390 to 420 








425 


10 to 4 


1,429 




333 to 381 


Flows 






4?6 




1,700 










4*>7 










Flows 




145. 


428 


8 to 4 


900 




400 


Flows (?) 






49q 




355 




265 to 320 


No flow 






430 




2,500 




+2 






431 




1,915 




1,900 


Flows 




Many. 


43? 




1,500 


43(?) 








433 




495 




36 to 98 








434 




1,500 





900 to 960 

850 to 880 


Flows 






435 




850± 




do 




Do. 


436 




1,284 


95 










437 




1,400+ 

1,304 


90 


822 








438 














439 








985 


Flowed . . 






440 




1,612 




560 to 585 








441 


8 


682 












44? 




725 


100 










443 




26S 




75 to 268 


No flow 





















190 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wells and springs in Hardin County, Tex. — Continued. 




Remarks. 



399 
400 
401 
402 
403 
404 
405 
406 

407 



408 

409 

410 
411 

412 

413 

414 
415 

416 

417 
418 

419 
420 

421 

422 

423 
424 
425 

426 

427 
428 
429 
430 
431 
432 
433 
434 
435 
436 
437 
438 
439 
440 
441 
442 
443 



Lissie and Miocene (T). 

Lissie 

....do 



Lissie. 



Lissie 

Marine Miocene. 

/Miocene 

\ do 



{Lissie... 
....do... 
Miocene. 



Lissie. 



Lissie.... 

...do.. 

....do.. 

1....do.. 

I Miocene . 



fLissie... 
■\Miocene . 

{Lissie . . . 
Miocene . 
....do.. 



Lissie. 
....do. 



/....do.. 
\ Miocene . 

I Lissie . . . 
Miocene . 
....do.. 



Miocene . 

do.. 

Lissie . . . 



Lissie. 
do. 



Catahoula. 



Lissie 

Miocene (?). 
Miocene 



Miocene . 



Miocene (?). 
Lissie 



Fresh. 



Briny. 
Salty. 
do. 



Soft. . . . 
Hard «. 

Soft a.. 
Fresh.. 

do. 

(?) 

(?) 



Fresh . 



.do 



Fresh. 
(?).--• 



Lissie. 



Good. 



Hot sulphur 
Salty 



(a)-..- 

Saltv.. 
do. 



Hot sulphur... 
do 



Salty. 



Brine. 



<«). 



Oil test well; Gufley well (State land) No. 14. 
Oil test well; no oil at 1,169 feet; well deepened 

later; Gufley well (Choate) No. 16. 
Oil well; "water lost" at 1,057 feet; Guffev well 

(Wing) No. 21; completed, June 23, 1904. 
Oil well; completed 1905. 
Oil test well (No. 1). 

WellNo. 1; oil at 825 to 1, Ho feet; completed 1905. 
Oil test well; no oil; completed 1905. 
Oil well (No. 5). 

Oil at 454 to 506 feet; completed 1904. 
Oil test well. 

Temperature 125° F. Oil well (Higgins No. 1). 
Temperature 80° F. 
Temperature 101° F.; the 1,159-foot reservoir first 

yielded oil and then salt water. Higgins well 

No. 4; completed May, 1904. 
Oil test well. 

Do. 



Used for locomotive boilers; temperature, 80° F. ; 

completed 1906. 
L'sed in boilers; completed 1906. 

Oil test well (No. 2). 

Oil well. 

Oil test well (Hook's No. 1). 

Temperature 100° F. 
Temperature over 100° F. 

Oil well; oil at 1,160 to 1,180 and 1,211 to 1,224 feet. 
Oil well; oil at 1,252 to 1,290; 1,310 to 1,318, 1,319 to 

1,341, 1,343 to 1,357 feet. 
Oil well; Miocene fossils at 1,140 to 1,1.54 feet; oil 

at 1,140 to 1,154 feet (well No. 1). 

}oil well; oil at 852 to 893 feet (well No. 2). 

Drilled for oil (No. 3). 

Oil test well; bowlder stopped drilling; completed 

1905. 
Oil well; completed 1905. 
Oi] well. 
Oil well; oil at 1,199 to 1,239, 1,306 to 1,335, 1,415 to 

1,424 feet. 
Oil test well; source of oil is below the 500-foot 

fresh water zone in this field. 
Do. 
Oil test well; completed 1905. 
Used in locomotive boilers. 
Completed 1902. 

Jackson fossils at about 1,500 feet. Drilled for oil. 

Oil test well. 

Oil well (No. 1). 

Temperature 100° F. Oil test well. Abandoned. 

Drilled for oil. 

Oil well (No. 1). 

Oil well (Gufley No. 4). 

Temperature 101° F.; oil well (Higgins No. 4). 

Oil test well (Higgins No. 8). 

First "gusher" at Sourlake (No. 1). 

Oil well (No. 2). 

Used in locomotive boilers. 



« For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



191 



DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

396. Section of J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co.'s well No. 14, on State land, Batson, Tex. 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Clay 0-45 

Sand 45-100 

Gumbo 100-190 

Rock 190-205 

Gumbo 205-270 

Do 270-305 

Blue shale 305-325 

Gumbo 325-370 

Blue shale 370-391 

Gumbo 391-441 

Rock 441-443 

Blue shale 443-463 

Gumbo 463-479 

Do 479-482 

Blue shale 482-500 

Gumbo 500-518 

Blue shale 518-548 

Gumbo 548-561 

Rock 561-562 

Oil sand 562-572 

Gumbo 572-598 

Blue shale 598-618 

Gumbo 618-641 

Blue shale 641-668 

397. Section of J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co.'s well No. 16, at Batson, Tex. 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Clay 0- 50 

Water gravel 50- 90 

Gumbo 90- 120 

Water sand 120- 180 

Shale, oil, and gas 180- 206 

Rock 206- 210 

Gumbo 210- 220 

Rock 220- 223 

Shale ' 223- 299 

Sand 299- 317 

Rock 317- 320 

Sand 320- 330 

Shale 330- 340 

Rock 340- 345 

Gumbo 345- 370 

Shale 370- 390 

Rock 390- 393 

Gumbo 393- 430 

Shale 430- 450 

Gumbo 450- 465 

Rock 465- 467 

Shale 467- 500 

Gumbo 500- 540 



192 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds — Continued. Feet. 

Slate 540- 590 

Rock 590- 593 

Gumbo 593- 630 

Shale 630- 655 

Gumbo and bowlders 655- 680 

Sand ; slight showing of oil throughout 680- 735 

Slate 735- 780 

Gumbo 780- 800 

Slate 800- 860 

Rock 860- 863 

Slate 863- 900 

Gumbo 900-1, 010 

Shale 1, 010-1, 045 

Do 1,045-1,078 

Gumbo 1,078-1,120 

Shale 1, 120-1, 148 

Rock 1, 148-1, 150 

Slate and shale 1, 150-1, 168 

Rock 1, 168-1, 169 

398. Section of J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co.'s well No. 21 , at Batson, Tex. 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Red clay 0- 40 

Oilsand 40- 60 

Shale and gumbo 60- 80 

Oilsand 80- 90 

Water sand 90- 140 

Gumbo 140- 160 

Oilsand 160- 170 

Hardpan 170 - 180 

Gumbo 180- 200 

Shale 200 - 220 

Gumbo 220- 310 

Shale 310- 368 

Gumbo 368- 390 

Oilsand 390- 415 

Shale and soft rock 415- 420 

Hard rock 420- 421 

Shale..: 421 - 451 

Gumbo 451- 502 

Shale 502 - 527 

Gumbo 527- 537 

Shale 537 - 567 

Gumbo 567 - 591 

Shale 591 - 614 

Rock 614- 615 

Shale 615- 630 

Gumbo 630- 650 

Shale 650 - 714 

Shale and oil 714 - 739 

Shale 739- 760 

Shale and oil 760 - 794 

Shale 794 - 813 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIX. 193 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds — Continued. Feet. 

Gumbo 813- 830 

Sand, soft rock, and gas 830 - 874 

Oil, 6and, oil rock, and gas 874 - 896 

Shale and gumbo 896 - 918 

Oil shale and rock 918 - 948 

Oil sand and rock 948 - 961 

Shale and rock 961 - 977 

Hardpan 977- 979 

Shale with gas blow-out 979 - 995 

Sandrock 995- 998 

Shale 998 -1,004 

Hard sand and rock 1, 004 -1, 024 

Oil rock and shale alternating and containing gas 1, 024 -1, 063 

Same with gumbo; no gas. 1, 063 -1, 082 

Rock 1,082 -1,083 

Shale 1, 083 -1, 085J 

Rock; water lost and well stopped 1, 085^-1, 087 

399. Section of J. W. Ennis's ivell, \ mile north of Batson, Tex. 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Yellow and gray clay 0- 20 

Grayclay 20- 40 

Fine sand, with brownish-gray clay 40- 60 

Fine to medium brownish-gray sand; may contain 

glauconite 60- 100 

Same, with brownish clay 100- 160 

Fine gray sand, with a little glauconite 160- 200 

Gray sandy clay 200- 325 

Fine to medium sand ; a little glauconite 325- 420 

Fine gray sandstone, sand, and clay 420- 450 

Gray shale, sand, and clay 450- 480 

Gray shale 480- 520 

Do 520- 630 

Gray shale, sand, and clay 630- 650 

Same 650- 680 

Do 680- 800 

Gray clay, with sand 800- 900 

Same 900-1,000 

Greenish-gray clay 1, 000-1, 100 

Gray clay, limestone, sandy limestone, pyrite, and 

fossil shells 1, 100- 

400. Section of S. Private well (Milhouse farm well No. 1), 1\ miles northwest of 

Batson, Tex. 

Lissie gravel: Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Sandy surface soil 0- 5 

Clay; blue-red stains 5 0- 71 9 

Sand and gravel; good supply of fresh water.. 71 9 - 110 3 

White sand ; medium 110 3- 125 6 

Soft rock; fossils 125 6 - 127 6 

Blue sand, gray sand, and gravel 127 6 - 134 6 

Hard rock 134 6 - 135 6 

14926°— wsp 335—14 13 



194 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Lissie gravel — Continued. Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Soft shale, sand, and gravel 135 6- 172 6 

Shale and sand 172 6- 192 6 

Coarse white (gray) sand; also clay and gravel. 192 6- 208 7 

SI uile and sand 208 7- 245 2 

White sand 245 2 - 303 6 

Gravel 303 6 - 323 5 

Sand and gravel; calcareous green clay and 

pebbles 323 5- 344 5 

Marine Miocene beds: 

Soft shale 344 5 - 365 1 

Sofi blue shale; calcareous green clay 365 1 - 415 6 

Rock 415 6- 417 6 

Hard blue gumbo 417 6- 535 8 

Hard rock; white 535 8- 536 8 

Soft blue gumbo 536 8- 556 8 

Hard blue gumbo 556 8- 647 4 

Blue shale; strata of rock 647 4 - 750 

Hard shale 750 0- 772 2 

Soft sand shale and shell; oil and gas showing. 772 2- 815 2 

Hard shale, green 815 2 - 876 6 

Soft sandy shale; oil showing 876 6 - 920 7 

Gray sandy shale; best paying oil 920 7-1, 080 

Strata of rock and shale; rock very hard; some 

places showing oil 1, 080 - 1, 090 

Blue sandy shale with oil sand and shell; good 

gas showing 1, 090 - - 1, 134 

401. Section of W. Weyant well (Milholm farm well No. 1) 1\ miles northwest cf 

Batson, Tex. 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Gray sand and gumbo 0- 100 

Clay and water sand 100- 150 

Clay and gumbo 150- 500 

Hard shale rock 500- 510 

Gumbo 510- 820 

Hard rock and gas 820- 825 

Shale and oil 825-1, 165 

Gumbo 1, 165- 

402. Section of R. P. Allen & Co. 's well at Batson, Tex. 

Lissie gravel: Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Surface soil 0-20 

Clay 2 0-14 

Yellow clay and sand 14 0-273 10 

Grayish brown sand, gumbo, and shale 273 10 - 311 9 

Gumbo and shale, gray; rock 311 9 - 312 9 

Sandstone and limestone 312 9 - 314 9 

Gumbo and sand ; rock 314 9-320 9 

Marine Miocene beds: 

Gumbo and limestone and clay 320 9-328 9 

Shale, marl, and gumbo 328 9-348 1 

Gumbo and shale 348 1-402 4 

Pink gumbo 402 4-500 .5 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 195 

Marine Miocene beds — Continued. Ft. iu. Ft. in. 

Shale and gumbo 500 5 - 595 9 

Shale and limestone, brown 595 9 - 620 3 

Rock 620 3-621 3 

Gumbo, gray 621 3-630 3 

Rock 630 3-632 9 

Grayshale " 632 9-657 1 

Gray limestone and rock 657 1 - 661 10 

Shale and limestone, grayish 661 10 - 701 4 

Rock 701 4-702 4 

Grayshale 702 4-726 

Rock 726 0-727 

Gray shale 727 0-743 

Rock 743 0-746 

Grayshale 746 0-749 

Rock 749 0-752 

Gray shale 752 0-761 

Rock 761 0-763 3 

Grayshale 763 3-765 6 

Rock 765 6-766 4 

Gumbo and soft limestone, brownish 766 4 - 796 

Shale, gray, with fossil shells 796 - 815 

Limy gray shale and gumbo 815 0-830 3 

Shale 830 3-894 1 

Gumbo 894 1-904 1 

403. Section of Crown Oil Co.'s well on Hey wood League, 1\ miles northwest of Batson, 

Tex. 

Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Soft gray gumbo - 64 

Yellow and brown water sand 64 -105. 5 

Soft gray gumbo 105. 5-123. 5 

Bluish shale 123. 5-158. 5 

Brownish oil sand 158. 5-195 

Gray gumbo 195 -217. 5 

Brownish oil sand 217. 5-237. 7 

Bluish shale 237. 7-290. 2 

Oil sand and shale 290. 2-321. 6 

Marine Miocene beds: 

Gray gumbo 321. 6-358. 9 

Oil sand and shale, brownish gray 358. 9-404. 2 

Gumbo 404. 2-446. 9 

Oil; brown hard rock 446. 9-466. 9 

Gumbo 466. 9-483. 5 

404. Section of Crown Oil Co.'s well on Wood & McRaven lease, 1\ miles north of 

Batson, Tex. 

Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Lower half mostly hard, gray 0-184 

Oil sand; no water 184-219 

Gray gumbo and shale 219-316 

Oil sand, brown ; no water 316-326 

Marine Miocene beds: 

Gumbo and shale, gray; water cased off 326-454 

Shale and oil sand 454-506 

Gray gumbo 506-516 



196 GEOLOGY AM) UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

405. Section of Texas Drilling Co.'s well, i mile northwest of Batson, Tex. 

Feet. 

Sandy, soft, dark brown soil 0- 4 

Lissie gravel : 

Water sand, dark brown and hard 4-35 

Gumbo and water sand; greenish clay, mixed 35- 98 

Gumbo and coarse water sand; greenish clay, mixed 98-190 

Gumbo and hard and soft gray rock, mixed 190-354 

Marine Miocene beds: 

Gumbo and shale, hard and gray; oil showing 354-446 

Gumbo rock and shale, hard and gray, and quartz pebbles, 

mixed 446-489 

Oil sand, shale, and gas; dark and soft 489-585 

Shale, soft rock, pyrites, gray in color and "granite" 

pyrite mixed 585-707 

Shale and soft gray rock, mixed 707-768 

Sand, oil showing, gumbo, hard rock, mixed 768-807 

Soft rock and shale, gray, mixed 807-863 

Soft gray shale and gumbo mixed 863-885 

406. In Higgins well No. 1, at Batson, the salt water at a depth of 1,200 feet had a 
temperature of 125° F., much above the normal for water from this depth. This is 
another evidence of vertical circulation, the hot water having probably come from far 
greater depths. 

407. Section 0/ Higgins Oil & Fuel Co.'s well No. 4, at Batson, Tex. 

Lissie gravel : Feet. 

Mud and sand 0- 325 

Marine Miocene beds : 

Oil sand and shale 325- 330 

Blueshale 330- 415 

Oil sand and shale 415- 430 

Blueshale 430- 620 

Oil sand and shale 620- 635 

Shale 635- 830 

Rock and sand , 830- 870 

Shale ' 870- 900 

Rock 900- 901 

Bluemud 901- 955 

Oil sand and shale 955- 965 

White mud 965- 970 

Oil sand and rock; salt water, 80° F 970- 985 

Blue shale 985-1, 055 

White rock 1, 055-1, 056 

Blue shale 1, 056-1, 065 

White rock 1, 065-1, 066 

Oil sand and shale 1, 066-1, 081 

Blue mud , 1, 081-1, 100 

Oil sand and shale. . .^ 1, 100-1, 125 

White rock 1,125-1,128 

Oil sand and shale 1, 128-1, 130 

White rock 1,130-1,132 

Hard shale 1, 132-1, 142 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 197 

Marine Miocene beds — Continued. Feet. 

White rock 1, 142-1, 144 

Blue shale 1, 144-1, 146 

White rock 1, 146-1, 147 

Blue shale 1, 147-1, 150 

White rock 1, 150-1, 151 

Blue shale 1, 151-1, 158 

White rock 1, 158-1, 159 

408. Section of Chappell well on Turnbow League, Hardin County, Tex. 
[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene (?) beds: Feet. 

Clay 0-36 

Sand 36 - 98 

Hard clay 98 - 112 

Sand 112 - 140 

Sand; brown hard clay 140 - 161 

Sand 161 - 211 

Gumbo 211 - 231 

Coarse sand 231 - 252 

Finebluesand 252 - 271 

Blue sand; gas and oil at 316 271 - 344 

Gravel 344 - 349 

Bowlders; gas and oil 349 - 359 

Gravel 359 - 361 

Sand 361 - 369 

Strong gas; clay 369 - 371 

Sand 371 - 399 

Gumbo and shale 399 - 439 

Gumbo 439 - 446 

Blue shale; gas 446 - 530 

Rock 530 - 536 

Sand and shale 536 - 553 

Flint rock 553 - 554 

Shale and gumbo 554 - 570 

Sand 570 - 596 

Rock 596 - 596.5 

Redmud 596.5- 598 

Blue shale and asphalt 598 - 605 

Gumbo 605 - 617 

Coarse sand 617 - 643 

Asphalt 643 - 644 

Hard blue shale 644 - 656 

Rock and shale 656 - 663 

Rock 663 - 672 

Rock and sand 672 - 675 

Sand 675 - 704 

Gravel 704 - 707 

Rock 707 - 716 

Soft sandstone 716 - 721 

Heavy gas pressure; sand 721 - 755 

Heavy gumbo 755 - 778 



198 GB0L0G1 and rxDFHciiorxn waters of 

Usie gravel and marine Miocene ?) beds Continued. Feet. 

Fine blue sand 778 - 830 

Soft white rock 830 - 870 

Fine blue sand 870 - 889 

Rock 889 - 892 

Blue sand 892 - 925 

Chalk 925 - 962 

Rock 962 - 964 

Blue shale 964 - 978 

Rock gas and oil 978 - 

Blue shale -1, 019 

Gumbo 1,019 -1,029 

409. Section of Stribling well on sec. 376, Hardin County, Tex. 
[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene (?) beds: Feet. 

Sandy soil 0- 6 

'Volcanic sand" 6- 8 

Sandy iron clay 8- 21 

Water sand 21- 41 

Kaolin 41- 71 

Sand 71- 111 

Red clay Ill- 241 

Water sand 241- 321 

Gumbo and red shale 321- 361 

White sand 361- 381 

Red shale; some gas and oil 381- 461 

Brown sand 461- 621 

Gumbo and brown shale 621- 761 

Water sand 761- 821 

Shale and gumbo 821- 861 

Yellow soapstone 861- 921 

Sand 921-1, 121 

Gravel; gas and oil (5 barrels) 1, 121-1, 146 

Blue gumbo 1, 146-].. 206 

White sand 1, 206-1, 286 

Brown shale 1, 286-1, 336 

Blue gumbo sand: show of oil 1, 336-1, 371 

411. Section of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well at Silsbee, Tex. 

Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Clay and sand 0-88 

Sand 88-288 

Blue sand 288-374 

Yellow clay 374-392 

Water sand. 392-i66 

Clay 466-468 

The sand from 392 to 466 feet is very fine. It passes through the strainer and fills the 
tank. Other wells at this point have failed because the sand was pumped out, causing 
the well to cave. The railroad company has put down five wells. Three have failed. 
Consumption per month, 4,941,000 gallons. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 199 

412. Section of Olive-Sternenberg Lumber Co.' s well at Olive, Tex. 

Feet. 

Sawdust 0- 8 

Lissie gravel: 

Sand 8-36 

Yellow clay , 36-64 

Sand 64-113 

Blue gumbo 113-156 

Sand 156-182 

Blue gumbo 182-286 

Water sand. 286-339 

413. Sectionof Kountz well No. 2 on Liberty School section, 4 miles north of Saratoga, Tex. 

[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Yellow clay 0- 76 

White water sand 76- 105 

Yellow clay 105- 210 

Gravel, sand (fresh artesian water) 210- 235 

Dark-gray sand 235- 280 

White water sand 280- 387 

Sand mixed with clay 387- 440 

Loose gray water sand 440- 650 

White sand and gravel 650- 825 

Dark sandrock and bowlders 825- 860 

Darksandrock 860- 880 

Blue gumbo '. 880- 900 

Dark-gray sand ,. . . 900- 960 

Dark-giay sandrock 960- 985 

Sand with gumbo 985-1, 147 

Dark sand and gumbo 1, 147-1, 169 

Blue gumbo and dark-gray sand 1, 169-1, 237 

Green marl 1, 237-1, 265 

Green marl, with strata of sandrock 1, 265-1, 511 

414. Section of well at Saratoga, Tex. 
[Furnished by "William Kennedy.] 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Clay 0- 15 

Sand 15-25 

Clay 25- 42 

Clay and sand 42- 80 

Sand 80- 90 

Soft rock 90- 91 

Hard clay 91-116 

Gumbo 116-166 

Rock 166-169 

Gumbo 169-171 

Rock 171-174 

Gumbo 174-292 

Soft rock 292-297 



200 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



415, 



Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds — Continued. Feet. 

Gumbo 297-308 

Sand 308-402 

Hard rock 402^04 

Gumbo 404-408 

Rock 408-409 

Gumbo 409-431 

Shale 431-443 

Gumbo 443-454 

Shale 454-475 

Gumbo 475-505 

Shale; oil show 505-552 

Gumbo 552-563 

Shale and sand ; show of oil 503-572 

Gumbo and shale 572-635 

Gumbo soft rock 635-640 

Hard gumbo 640-688 

Shale 688-707 

Rock 707-708 

Hard gumbo 708-714 

Rock 714-716 

Hard gumbo 716-736 

Rock 736-740 

Shale 740-751 

Sand ; fine show of oil 751-764 

Hard gumbo 764-776 

Rock 776-777 

Gumbo 777-784 

Hard shale and rock 784-786 

Hard shale and rock ; oil show 786-796 

Hard gumbo 796-810 

Shale and sand 810-826 

Hard gumbo 826-829 

Shale and sand; oil show , 829-833 

Sand; oil show 833-838 

Gumbo 838-839 

Shale sand ; oil show 839-851 

Hard gumbo 851-854 

Rock 854-859 

Gumbo 859-874 

Shale 874-879 

Hard shale 879-903 

Gumbo 903-912 

Section of Saratoga Oil & Pipe Line Co.'s well (Hook's well No. 1), Saratoga, 

Tex. 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Sand 0-78 

Sand ; oil and water 78-173 

Hard blue and white clay 173-205 

Sand and oil 205-258 

White clay 258-265 

Soft blue clay 265-305 

Rock 305-308 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



201 



Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds — Continued. Feet. 

Sand or soft rock 308-316 

Rock; with gas at 325 feet 316-325 

Hard rock 325-327 

Gumbo 327-335 

Sandrock 335-350 

Blue clay and shale 350-355 

Sand cement; small stream of oil, first after 325 feet; oil 

shows in all formations to this depth 355-378 

Gravel, becoming coarser and changing from white to 

black toward bottom, and gumbo 378-429 

Mostly gumbo, with small layers of very hard material; 

but no oil 429-474 

Blue clay 474-478 

Sandstone, with oil of golden color; rock becomes softer 

and gradually turns to sand 478-484 

Sand ; oil flows between 478 and 488 feet 484-488 

Sandstone and blue clay in thin layers 488-530 

Blue clay; water from 475 and oil from 500 feet, but not 

in large quantities; no gas below 500 feet 530-545 

Hard clay or soft rock 545-557 

Hard rock 557-565 

Streaks of clay and rock 565-643 

Very hard rock ; with some oil 643-645 

Clay 645-672 

Sandrock; with oil 672-680 

Blue clay; with bowlders 680-781 

Limerock 781-784 

Blue clay 784-791 

Limerock; with gas under rock 791-794 

Blue clay 794-840 

Hard shale; with oil 840-870 

Hard shale 870-892 

Shale and bowlders 892-900 

Clay 900-908 

Hard rock 908-915 

Soft blue clay 915-920 

Hard limerock 920-921 

Solid rock 921-933 

Soft blue shale 933-940 

Limestone 940-943 

Shale and loose rock 943-960 

Hard rock 960-965 

Oil, sand, loose rock, and shells 965-994 

Rock to bottom not penetrated 994-995 

416. Section of IAbby Oil Co.'s well on the Joseph Blake tract, 3 miles ivest of 

Saratoga, Tex. 

Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Brown sandy clay 0-40 

Gray sand 40- 60 

Gray sand ; with gas at 65 feet 60- 70 

Grayish-brown sand ; with gas 70- 80 

Grayish-brown sand 80-135 

Blue clay, with lime nodules 135-153 



202 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



-ii • gravel — Continued. Feet. 

Grayish-blue sand, with lime 153-209 

Grayish-wlii t e si nd 209-231 

< . ray Band 231-270 

Gray Bandy day 270-308 

Gray sand 308-318 

Clay 318-338 

Gray rock, with artesian water and small quantities of 

oil immediately under the rock '.. 338-348 

Sand, with oil 348-353 

Clay 353-358 

Sand 358-375 

Clay 375^12 

Rock 412-425 

Sand 425-511 

Rock, in thin layers, with clay partings 511-523 

Rock and sand 523-537 

Sand and rock (bowlders) 537-585 

417. Section of well ct Saratoga, Tex. 
[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, Fleming (?) clay, and Cata- 
houla (?) sandstone: Feet. 

Sand and clay 0- 60 

Gumbo 60- 110 

Shale : 110- 120 

Gumbo 120- 220 

Shale and bowlders 220- 254 

Shale and sand 254- 259 

Rock 259- 261 

Shale and sand 2G1- 325 

Hard shale 325- 370 

Rock 370- 372 

Gumbo 372- 380 

Rock 380- 382 

Gumbo 382- 408 

Rock 408- 409 

Gumbo 409- 415 

Rock 415- 417 

Gumbo 417- 422 

Rock 422- 424 

Gumbo 424- 427 

Rock 427- 428 

Shale 428- 453 

Rock 453- 454 

Gumbo 454- 600 

Shale 600- 635 

Rock 635- 637 

Gumbo 637- 657 

Rock 657- 659 

Gumbo 659- 680 

Rock 680- 682 

Gumbo 682- 698 

Sand 698- 735 






SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 203 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, Fleming clay, and Cata- 
houla (?) sandstone — Continued. Feet. 

Gumbo 735- 772 

Shale 772- 781 

Gumbo 781- 823 

Rock 823- 824 

Gumbo 824- 845 

Sand 845- 885 

Gumbo 885- 919 

Shale and bowlders : 919- 930 

Gumbo 930- 953 

Rock 953- 955 

Gumbo 955- 990 

Rock 990- 993 

Gumbo 993-1, 001 

Gumbo and sand 1, 001-1, 025 

Hard rock *. 1, 025-1, 028 

Shale; oil show 1, 028-1, 042 

Gumbo 1, 042-1, 090 

Rock 1, 090-1, 091 

Shale; oil show 1, 091-1, 106 

Gumbo 1, 106-1, 134 

Soft rock 1, 134-1, 140 

Gumbo 1, 140-1, 159 

Rock 1, 159-1, 160 

Oil sand. . . .' 1, 160-1, 180 

Gumbo 1, 180-1, 206 

Rock 1, 206-1, 211 

Oil sand 1, 211-1, 224 

Gumbo 1, 224-1, 238 

Rock 1, 238-1, 240 

Shale 1, 240-1, 285 

Gumbo 1, 285-1, 300 

Rock 1, 300-1, 303 

Shale; oil show 1, 303-1, 348 

Rock 1, 348-1, 353 

Shale :....!, 353-1, 368 

Sandrock 1, 368-1, 373 

Gumbo 1, 373-1, 383 

Rock 1, 383-1, 392 

Gumbo 1, 392-1, 412 

Soft rock; oil show (lost mud) 1, 412- 

418. Section of well at Saratoga, Tex. 
[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, and Oligocene (?) beds: Feet. 

Yellow sand and clay 0- 21 

Gumbo 21- 46 

Hard bowlders; blue sand 46- 63 

Gumbo 63- 125 

Soft shale 125- 129 

Hard shale 129- 138 

Rock 138- 141 

Gumbo 141- 145 

Rock 145- 146 



204 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, and Oligocene (?) beds — Con. Feet, 

Gumbo 146- 183 

Shale 183- 188 

Gumbo 188- 233 

Shale 233- 263 

Gravel 263- 266 

Shell and rock 266- 271 

Hard rock 271- 272 

Shale 272- 279 

Rock 279- 281 

Sand 281- 285 

Soft rock 285- 289 

Sand 289- 294 

Soft rock 294- 295 

Gumbo 295- 295. 

Rock 295. 5-296 

Gumbo 296- 303 

Artesian water sand 303- 313 

Shale 3K- 377 

Hard pack sand 377- 398 

Gumbo 398- 407 

Rock 407- 408 

Gumbo 408- 427 

Rock 427- 430 

Gumbo 430- 506 

Rock 506- 507 

Gumbo 507- 514 

Rock 514- 517 

Hard sand 517- 518 

Rock 518- 522 

Gumbo 522- 592 

Sand 592- 613 

Gumbo 613- 667 

Shale 667- 677 

Soft rock 677- 679 

Gumbo 679- 700 

Shale 700- 744 

Rock 744- 746 

Gumbo 746- 815 

Hard rock 815- 818 

Gumbo 818- 824 

Hard rock 824- 829 

Gumbo 829- 865 

Shale -. 865- 900 

Hard shale 900- 922 

Gumbo 922-1, 002 

Rock 1, 002-1, 003 

Oil show; sand 1, 003-1, 024 

Rock 1, 024-1, 026 

Gumbo 1, 026-1, 049 

Rock 1, 049-1, 050 

Gumbo ! 1, 050-1, 071 

Rock 1, 071-1, 072 

Gumbo 1, 072-1, 090 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



205 



Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, and Oligocene (?) beds— -rCon. 

Shale, and oil show 

Rock 

Shale 

Rock 

Gumbo 

Rock 

Gumbo 

Rock 

Gumbo 

Shale; good oil show • 

Gumbo 

Shale and oil sand 

Rock 

Gumbo 

Hard pack sand 

Rock 

Soft shale and oil sand 

Rock 

Shale and oil sand 

Soft rock 

Shale and oil sand 

Rock 

Hard shale 

Hard rock 

Hard shale 

Gumbo 

Hard rock , 

Hard sand 

Rock 

Hard sand 



Feet. 
,090-1 
,108-1 
, 111-1 
,129-1 
, 131-1 
,140-1 
,144-1 
,160-1 
, 161-1 
, 181-1 
,204-1 
, 252-1 
,290-1 
, 291-1 
, 301-1 
,308-1 
,310-1 
,318-1 
,319-1 
, 341-1 
, 343-1 
,357-1 
,358-1 
,370-1 
, 371-1 
,385-1 
, 393-1 
,396-1 
, 411-1 
,415-1 



,108 
,111 
,129 
,131 
,140 
,144 
,160 
,161 
,181 
,204 
,252 
,290 
,291 
,301 
,308 
,310 
,318 
,319 
,341 
,343 
,357 
,358 
,370 
,371 
,385 
,393 
,396 
,411 
,415 
,424 



419. Section of Hardie-Robinson well No. 1 at Saratoga, Tex. 



Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, and Oligocene (?) beds: Feet. 

Sand 0- 10 

Gravel 10- 20 

Clay 20- 30 

Sand 30- 45 

Clay 45- 55 

Sand ; slight color of oil 55- 60 

Clay (?) 60- 80 

Sand 80- 95 

Clay 95- 145 

Loose water sand 145- 210 

Gumbo 210- 220 

Sand 220- 258 

Gumbo 258- 330 

Shale 330- 339 

Sand 339- 

Sand and rock. 

Sand - 373 

Gumbo 373- 

Rock - 389 



206 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, and Oligocene (?) beds 

Continued. Feet. 

Gumbo 389 - 529 

Sand; showing of oil 529 - 541 

Rock 541 - 544 

Gumbo 544 - 636 

Rock 636 - 636.5 

Gumbo 636. 5- 654 

Shale 654 - 670 

Gumbo 670 - 742 

Shale 742 - 747 

Gumbo 747 - 848 

Coarse white sand; some oil and gas 848 - 930 

Gumbo 930 - 940 

Shale; showing some oil 940 - 973 

Hard gumbo 973 - 995 

Hard shale 995 -1, 018 

Hard gumbo 1, 018 -1, 061 

Soft shale 1, 061 -1, 085 

Rock 1, 085 -1, 087 

Gumbo 1, 087 -1, 102 

Rock 1, 102 -1, 104 

Hard gumbo 1, 104 -1, 140 

(Miocene); sand and shell; oil and gas 1, 140 -1, 154 

Bowlders 1, 154 -1, 156 

Hard shale 1,156 -1,219 

Soft shale 1, 219 -1, 224 

Shale 1, 224 -1, 272 

Soft shale and gumbo ". 1, 272 -1, 278 

Hard gumbo 1, 278 -1, 328 

Streaks of hard rock and sand; showing oil 1, 328 -1, 373 

Gumbo 1, 373 -1, 433 

Shale 1,433 -1,460 

Gumbo 1, 460 -], 495 

420. Section of Hardie-Robinson well No. 2 at Saratoga, Tex. 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Surface sand 0- 8 

Yellow clay 8-25 

Fine water sand 25- 30 

Gumbo 30-92 

Sand, slight oil show 92-137 

Bowlders 137-143 

Gumbo and bowlders 143-312 

Rock 312-314 

Sand 314-330 

Bowlders 330-331 

Soft shale 331-360 

Gumbo 360-376 

Rock 376-378 

Gumbo 378-430 

Rock 430-432 

Gumbo 432-495 

Rock and bowlders 495-408 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 207 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds — Continued. Feet. 

Gumbo 498-500 

Rock and sand ; slight show of oil 500-505 

Rock and bowlders 505-508 

Gumbo 508-512 

Rock 512-513 

Hard shale 513-526 

Rock 526-527 

Gumbo 527-596 

Rock 596-600 

Hard gumbo 600-602 

Fine sand 602-645 

Rock 645-646 

Gumbo 646-648 

Fine sand 648-655 

Gumbo 655-657 

Fine sand 657-664 

Gumbo 664-670 

Coarse water sand (white) 670-723 

Gumbo 723-763 

Soft shale; showing gas and oil 763-800 

Soft rock. 800-801 

Sand, showing oil 801-831 

Gumbo 831-852 

Rich oil-bearing sand 852-893 

421. Section of Eardie-Robinson well No. 3 at Saratoga, Tex. 

[Furnished by VTilliam Kennedy.] 

Lissie gravel and Miocene beds: Feet. 

Surface dirt 0- 15 

Bowlders 15- 16 

Streaks of clay sand shell 16- 40 

Red clay 40- 71 

Soft "limerock" 71- 75 

Clay 75- 93 

Soft "limerock" 93- 94 

Yellow clay 94- 100 

Gumbo 100- 140 

Shale ; showing oil 140- 165 

Gumbo 165- 185 

Coarse water sand 185- 195 

Rock 195- 196 

Gumbo 196- 325 

Sand 325- 375 

Gumbo 375- 400 

Rock 400- 403 

Gumbo 403- 411 

Rock 411- 414 

Gumbo 414- 458 

Soft rock 458- 459 

Gumbo ; 459- 464 

Hard sandrock 464- 476 

Gumbo 476- 482 

Rock. 482-: 485 



208 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Lissic gravel and Miocene beds- -Continued. Feet. 

Hard shale 485- 490 

Gumbo 490- 499 

"Limerock" 499- 500 

Gumbo 500- 520 

Soft rock 520- 528 

Hard gumbo 528- 610 

Soft sandrock 610- 612 

Gumbo 612- 635 

Soft rock 635- 638 

Shale 638- 648 

Gumbo 648- 680 

Sand 680- 695 

Red clay 69-5- 711 

Sand ; slight oil show 711- 723 

Shale 723- 730 

Rock 730- 731 

Shale 731- 766 

Water sand 766- 770 

Gumbo 770- 797 

Soft rock 797- 798 

Shale 798- 820 

Softrock 820- 821 

Soft shale 821- 824 

Soft rock 824- 826 

Sand 826- 840 

Softrock 840- 841 

White-water sand 841- 866 

Gumbo 866- 869 

Rock 869- 870 

Gumbo 870- 873 

Soft shale 873- 882 

Gumbo 882- 889 s* 

Shale 889- 906 

Gumbo 906- 937 

Brown shale oil 937- 951 

Soft rock 951- 952 

Brown shale, and streaks of sand ; little oil show 952-1, 037 

423. Section of Gulf, Colorado 6c Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well, one-half mile east of 

Saratoga, Tex. 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, and Oligocene (?) beds: Feet. 

Surface sand 0- 10 

Red clay 10- 30 

Fine gray sand 30- 115 

Gumbo 115- 128 

Sand 128- 161 

Shale 161- 184 

Sand 184- 230 

Gumbo 230- 270 

Sand 270- 279 

Gumbo 279- 338 

Sand 338- 378 

Softrock 378- 380 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 209 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene and Oligocene (?) 

beds — Continued. Feet. 

Gumbo 380 - 410 

Sand with water 410 - 535 

Gumbo 535 - 565 

Sand 565 - 574 

Gumbo 574 - 676 

Soft gypseous gumbo 676 - 694 

Gumbo with bowlders, probably concretions 694 - 701 

Hard shale 701 - 717 

Gumbo 717 - 856 

Gravel ; water worn quartz pebbles 856 - 861 

Sand 861 - 863 

Gumbo 863 - 874 

Rock 874 - 877 

Sand and gravel 877 - 883 

Gravel 883 - 891 

Gumbo 891 - 906 

Rock; fine hard limerock 906 - 913 

Gumbo, with gypsum layers 913 - 940 

Gypsum rock 940 - 942 

Shale 942 - 946 

Rock 946 - 947 

Gumbo 479 - 980 

Sand 980 - 992 

Gumbo 992 -1,003 

Rock (hard limestone) 1, 003 -1, 010 

Gumbo 1,010 -1,028 

Gravel 1,028 -1,042 

Gumbo 1,042 -1,047 

Hard sandrock 1, 047 -1, 048 

Gumbo 1,048 -1,073 

Rock 1,073 -1,073.75 

Rock with large quantity of selenite 1, 073. 75-1, 078 

Gravel 1,078 -1,109 

Rock 1, 109 -1, 112 

Shale 1, 112 -1,122 

Rock 1,122 -1,124 

Shale 1,124 -1,150 

Gumbo 1,150 -1,185 

Gumbo and gypsum 1, 185 -1, 202 

Gumbo and iron pyrites 1, 202 -1, 206 

Roek 1,206 -1,209 

Shale 1,209 -1,212 

Softrock 1,212 -1,216 

Hard shale 1,216 -1,228 

Gumbo; from 1,230 to 1,280 good showing of oil... 1, 228 -1, 258 

Shale, with two small beds of rock 1, 258 -1, 270 

Hard rock 1, 270 -1, 271 

Shale 1,271 -1,281 

Gumbo 1,281 -1,290 

Hard shale 1,290 -1,310 

Very hard shale 1, 310 -1, 315 

Shale and oil sand 1, 315 -1, 340 

14926°— wsp 335—14 14 



210 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, and Oligocene (?) beds — Con. Feet. 

Tough gumbo 1, 340-1, 342 

Shale and oil sand 1, 342-1, 350 

Mixed oil sand and thin rock beds 1,350-1, 387 

Sand 1, 3S7-1, 430 

Gumbo and rock 1, 430-1, 432 

424. Section of Gulf, Colorado 6c Santa Fe Railway Co. 's well, one-quarter of a mile east 

of Saratoga, Tex. 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, and Oligocene (?) beds: Feet. 

Sand and clay 0- 58 

Gumbo 58- 114 

Sand 114- 118 

Rock 118- 123 

Gumbo 123- 172 

Rock 172- 1S5 

Gumbo 185- 235 

Rock 235- 237 

Gumbo 237- 240 

Bowlders in gumbo, probably concretions of lime 240- 245 

Gumbo 245- 292 

Rock 292- 294 

Tough gumbo 294- 390 

Water sand 390- 420 

Bowlders in gumbo 420- 480 

Rock 480- 481 

Gumbo 481- 546 

Rock 546- 556 

Sand 55&- 561 

Bowlder formation 561- 577 

Gumbo 576- 584 

Bowlder formation 584- 596 

Rock 597- 598 

Gumbo • 598- 850 

Hardrock 850- 855 

Gumbo 855- 867 

Rock and shale 867- 874 

Gumbo (mistake in measurement; at this point well is 

863 feet deep) 874- 888 

Gumbo 863- 865 

Hard gumbo 865- 867 

Rock and shale 867- 874 

Gumbo 874- 886 

Shale 886- 900 

Gumbo 900- 928 

Sand; small showing of oil 928- 940 

Gumbo 940- 985 

Softrock 985- 991 

Tough gumbo. (Twisted bit off at this point. Fished 

6 days; drilled 1 foot per day) 991-1, 056 

Hard rock 1, 056-1, 065 

Gumbo 1, 065-1, 084 

Bowlder formation 1, 084-1, 098 

Rock 1, 09S-1, 101 

Gumbo 1, 101-1, 115 



SOUTHEASTERN" TEXAS COASTAL PLAIX. 



211 



Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, and Oligocene (?) beds — Con. 

Blue shale 

Gumbo 

Blue shale 

Soft rock 

Rock 

Shale 

Rock 

Shale 

Gumbo 

Rock, sand, and shale 

Gumbo 

Sand ; showing of oil 

Rock 

Gumbo 

Sand ; showing of oil 

Rock 

Shale; showing of oil 

Rock 

Shale 

Sand ; indications of oil 

Gumbo 

Shale , 

Rock 



Feet 
115-1 
150-1 
175-1 
183-1 
190-1 
198-1 
210-1 
212-1 
229-1 
297-1 
307-1 
318-1 
330-1 
331-1 
342-1 
352-1 
353-1 
356-1 
358-1 
368-1 
388-1 
392-1 
423-1 



,150 
,175 
,183 
,190 
,198 
,210 
,212 
,229 
,297 
,307 
,318 
,330 
,331 
,342 
,352 
,353 
,356 
,358 
,368 
,388 
,392 
,423 
,428 



This well came in a gusher and flowed at the rate of 70,700 barrels of oil per day. 
Within three days it was making a large per cent of salt water. It made a good pump- 
ing oil well. 

425. Section of well at Saratoga, Tex. 



[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, and Oligocene (?) beds: 

Sandy surface soil 

Yellow clay 

Sand 

Gumbo 

Rock 

Sandrock 

Hard sand 

Gumbo 

Sand 

Soft rock 

Gumbo 

Soft rock 

Gumbo 

Sand 

Hard rock 

Sand 

Rock '. 

Sand 

Hard sandrock 

Water sand (artesian) 333 

Soft shale 

Gumbo and shell rock 

Rock 



Feet. 



0- 


22 


22- 


44 


44- 


62 


62- 


86 


86- 


88 


88- 


93 


93- 


101 


101- 


162 


162- 


164 


164- 


170 


170- 


237 


237- 


239 


239- 


263 


263- 


302 


302- 


303 


303- 


315 


315- 


317 


317- 


321 


321- 


333 


333- 


381 


381- 


412 


412- 


416 


416- 


419 



212 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene, and Oligocene (?) beds — Con. Feet. 

Gumbo and shell rock 419- 425 

Hard rock 425- 435 

Hard shale 435- 445 

Rock 445- 446 

Shell rock and shale 446- 448 

Soft shale 448- 456 

Rock 456- 457 

Soft shale 457- 466 

Rock 466- 467 

Soft shale 467- 483 

Hard gumbo 483- 525 

Gumbo and shell rock 525- 548 

Rock 548- 549 

Shale 549- 557 

Blue gumbo 557- 632 

Soft pink gumbo 632- 660 

Hard blue gumbo 660- 689 

Soft rock 689- 690 

Blue gumbo 690- 696 

Shale 696- 752 

Hard gumbo 752- 770 

Rock 770- 773 

Gumbo 773- 777 

Rock 777- 779 

Gumbo 779- 791 

Soft rock 791- 793 

Gumbo 793- 813 

Shale 813- 823 

Gumbo 823- 837 

Soft rock 837- 839 

Shale; good oil show 839- 861 

Sand; good oil show 861- 871 

Shale and sand; oil show 871- 887 

Gumbo 887- 898 

Shale; oil show 898- 931 

Softgumbo 931- 941 

Hard shale 941- 947 

Hard gumbo 947- 972 

Soft rock 972- 974 

Shale 974- 988 

Rock 988- 993 

White and blue gumbo 993-1, 012 

Brown gumbo 1, 012-1, 016 

Hard gumbo 1, 016-1, 022 

Soft gumbo and rock 1, 022-1, 026 

Hard gumbo 1, 026-1, 076 

Rock 1, 076-1, 078 

Gumbo 1,078-1,101 

Soft sand; oil and gas show 1, 101-1, 137 

Soft shale 1,137-1,148 

Hard rock 1, 148-1, 149 

Soft shale 1,149-1,155 

J lard gumbo 1, 155-1, 166 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 213 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene and 01igocene(?) beds — Con. Feet. 

Hard rock 1, 166-1, 168 

Hard gumbo 1, 168-1, 180 

Hard gumbo and shell rock 1, 180-1, 199 

Soft shale and sand; oil and gas 1, 199-1, 239 

Soft shale 1,239-1,247 

Hard gumbo 1, 247-1, 306 

Hard sand; best oil show 1, 306-1, 335 

Gumbo 1,335-1,339 

Hard shale 1, 339-1, 355 

Gumbo 1,355-1,392 

Soft gumbo 1,392-1,395 

Soft rock 1,395-1,397 

Soft shale 1,397-1,401 

Sand and shale ; thin rock 1, 401-1, 413 

Rock 1, 413-1, 415 

Sand; oil and gas 1, 415-1, 422 

Not given 1, 422-1, 424 

Gumbo 1,424-1,429 

429. Section of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well at Votaw, Tex. 

Feet. 

Clay 0- 18 

Lissie gravel : 

Sand 18-168 

Coarse sand 168-203 

Fine sand 203-226 

Coarse sand 226-260 

Clay 260-265 

Open-water sand 265-320 

Clay 320-354 

Rock 354-355 

432. G. D. Harris gives the following data concerning a deep well at Sourlake, 
back of the post office: "While at Sourlake, Tex., the writer found among the debris 
washed out from near the bottom of a 1,500-foot well a fine Jackson fauna, preserved 
evidently in a blue selenitic marl. The well referred to is located just back of the 
post office, close by one of but 900 feet in depth. Along with such fossils as Volutili- 
thes petrosus, Venericardia rotunda, and fragments of Pecten and Pinna, we observed 
Alveinus minutus, Eucheilodon creno-carinata, Corbula wailesiana, and several unde- 
scribed Jackson species." * 

433. Section of R. Chappell well, 1 mile northwest of Sourlake, Tex. 

Lissie gravel : Feet. 

Clay, red and blue ; medium hard 0-36 

Quartz sand , brownish to gray-white ; water 36- 98 

Sandy and limy clay, brown, red, and hard 98-112 

Brownish white quartz sand 112-140 

Sandy and limy clay, brown, red, and hard 140-161 

Brownish white quartz sand 161-169 

Sandy and limy clay, brown, red, and hard 169-211 

Light-blue gumbo 211-231 

Light-brown limy sand; hard 231-252 

1 Harris, G. D., The geology of the Mississippi embayment, with special reference to the State of Louisiana: 
Rept. Geol. Survey Louisiana, 1902, p. 25. 



214 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

I.issir gravel — Continued. 

Light-brown limy Band; hard, with a little black sand and Feet. 

shale 252-271 

Quartz and Band, light brown and blue; light gas and oil; 

rotten wood 271-344 

Gravel and bowlders; hard; light gas and oil 344-359 

Gravel 359-361 

Fine quartz sand; brownish and blue 361-369 

Light gumbo; gas 369-371 

Fine clayey light-brown sand 371-399 

Coarse sand 399- 

Yellowish-brown sandy shale and soft brown limestone. 
Coarse brownish quartz sand (or fine gravel) and a little 

dark shale -439 

Gumbo 439-446 

Brown and gray marl and sandy shale, mixed with gumbo 

and fine gravel 446-495 

434. Section of Sour Lake Springs Co.'s well Xo. 1, at Sourlake, Tex. 

Lissie gravel and Miocene (?) beds: Feet. 

Coarse sand 0- 90 

Clay and stones 90-140 

Sand 140-160 

Hard clay, stone beds, and gravel 160-300 

Hard clay, gumbo, strata of stones and gravel; with gas 

and some oil 300-556 

Hard sandstone; with good show of oil and gas; 8-inch 
casing on hard streak, oil from which could produce 

about 100 barrels per day (estimated) 556-570 

Blue clay and gumbo 570-614 

Oil sand and conglomerate rock of all kinds from the above 
depth. Well flowed out all the water and commenced 

flowing oil through 8-inch pipe, but choked 614-630 

Sand ; with strong gas flow 630-680 

This well is located very near the center of the Sourlake oil field and almost directly 
between the Guffey Xo. 1 (Xo. 437) and the Sour Lake Oil Co. ? s well Xo. 1 (Xo. 434). 

436. Section of the Empire State Oil, Coal & Iron Co.'s well, 3 miles northeast of 

Sourlake, Isaac Bridges survey, Tex. 1 

Lissie gravel and Miocene beds: Feet. 

Fine yellow sand 0- 5 

Sand clay mixed 5- 15 

Yellow sand 15- 05 

Dark-blue clay 65- 186 

Blue sand.....* 186- 201 

Green clay 201- 248 

White sand 248- 330 

Blue clay 330- 383 

White sand 383- 409 

Blue clay 409- 463 

Sand and wood 463- 476 

Pale-blue clay 476-1, 013 

i Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, op. cit., p. 60; Fenneman, N. M., op. cit., pp. 46, 47, 120. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 215 

Lissie gravel — Continued. Feet. 

Gravel 1, 013-1, 020 

Pale-red clay 1, 020-1, 036 

Fragmentary rock 1, 036-1, 039 

Blue clay 1, 039-1, 155 

Solid rock ' 1, 155-1, 165 

White sand 1, 165-1, 186 

Blue clay 1, 186-1, 240 

Blue clay with pyrites 1, 240-1, 284 

At Sourlake water from wells exceeding 100 feet in depth is rarely fresh enough to 
drink or to use in boilers. Commonly it contains quite as much saline matter as 
was encountered in the Galveston deep well at 3,000 feet. At the depths where the 
oil wells are finished the water may be intensely briny. 

Waters with temperatures much above the normal for the depths from which 
they come have also been encountered here. 

437. Section of Guff ey well No. 1, on the Stephen Jackson League, 2,000 feet north 

of hotel at Sourlake, Tex. 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Yellow sand 0- 40 

Oil in clay 40- 50 

Clay 50-150 

Sand : 150-275 

Shale 275-279 

Oil sand 279-300 

Shale 300-630 

Rock 630-665 

Rock, shale, and gumbo 665-790 

Oil sand 790-810 

Gumbo 810-816 

Oil sand and gas 816-822 

Sand and gas 822-824 

Third gas sand 824-864 

Sand and oil 864-900 

This section is not complete, the depth of the well being 1,400 feet. 

438. Section of J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co.'s well No. 4, at Sourlake, Tex. 

Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Surface clay 0- 20 

White sand 20- 40 

Gumbo 40- 60 

Sand 60- 70 

Gumbo 70- 109 

Sand 109- 119 

Gumbo 119- 133 

Sand 133- 259 

Gumbo 259- 302 

Sand 302- 344 

Shell rock 344- 345 

Gumbo 345- 348 

Shell rock 348- 349 

Gumbo 349- 369 

Sand 369- 382 

Hard sand 382- 404 



216 GEOLOGY AND UNDEBGBOUND WATERS OF 

Marine Miocene (?) beds: Feet. 

Gumbo 404- 423 

Shell rock 423- 426 

Gumbo 426- 503 

Shell rock 503- 504 

Gumbo 504- 529 

Sand 529- 546 

Gumbo 546- 551 

Sand 551- 574 

Tough gumbo 574- 585 

Shell rock. (A 6-inch pipe was remeasured and a 
10-inch pipe set on the above-named shell rock, the 

depth being measured at 595 feet) 585- 586 

Gumbo 586- 633 

Sand showing oil 633- 638 

Hard rock 638- 639 

Gumbo 639- 657 

Shell rock 657- 658 

Yellow clay 658- 668 

Limestone and sandrock mixed 668- 674 

Red clay 674- 709 

Hard shell rock 709- 710 

Gumbo 710- 718 

Shell rock 718- 720 

Gumbo 720- 737 

Limestone and iron pyrite 737- 739 

Sand with small showing of oil 739- 784 

Shell rock 784- 786 

Gumbo 786- 795 

Sand, fairly hard; small showing of oil 795- 822 

Rock 822- 824 

Gumbo 824- 837 

Red clay 837- 856 

Gumbo 856- 877 

Rock with thin strata of gumbo 877- 884 

Rock 884- 889 

Gumbo 889- 919 

Hard rock 919- 922 

Gumbo with thin strata of rock 922- 947 

Gumbo 947- 989 

Rock 989- 990 

Gumbo 990-1, 007 

Oil sand with good showing 1, 007-1, 025 

Black gumbo 1, 025-1, 030 

Blue shale with strata of rock 1, 030-1, 041 

Blue shale 1, 041-1, 087 

Hard blue shale 1, 087-1, 135 

Blue shale 1, 135-1, 154 

Gumbo 1, 154-1, 158 

Rock 1, 158-1, 160 

Blue shale 1, 160-1, 185 

Lime rock 1, 185-1, 187 

Gumbo 1, 187-1, 250 

Iron pyrite 1, 250-1, 252 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 217 

Marine Miocene (?) beds — Continued.' Feet. 

Gumbo 1, 252-1, 276 

Iron pyrite 1, 276-1, 278 

Gumbo 1, 278-1, 304 

440. Section of Higgins well No. 8, in the Shoestring district at Sourlalce, Tex. 

Feet. 

Blue and yellow mud 0- 20 

White sand 20- 40 

Blue mud 40- 60 

White sand 60- 80 

Bluemud 80- 100 

White sand 100- 120 

Bluemud 120- 170 

Blue sand 170- 280 

Bluemud 280- 310 

White sand 310- 340 

White rock 340- 341 

Blue mud 341- 350 

White sand 350- 410 

Bluemud 410- 420 

White rock 420- 421 

White sand 421- 431 

Blue mud 431- 451 

White rock 451- 452 

White sand 452- 465 

Bluemud 465- 540 

White rock 540- 542 

Blue mud 542- 550 

Whiterock 550- 552 

Bluemud 552- 560 

Oil and water sand 560- 585 

Blue mud 585- 615 

White sand 615- 655 

Bluemud 655- 735 

White rock 735- 737 

Bluemud 737- 795 

White rock 795- 796 

Bluemud 796- 825 

Whiterock 825- 826 

White sand 826- 855 

White rock 855- 857 

Bluemud : 857- 925 

Whiterock 925- 927 

Blue mud 927-1, 027 

White rock 1, 027-1, 028 

Blue mud 1, 028-1, 035 

White rock 1, 035-1, 036 

Blue mud 1, 036 1, 053 

White rock 1, 053-1, 075 

Blue mud 1, 075-1, 078 

White rock 1, 078-1, 079 

Blue mud 1, 079-1, 090 

Whiterock 1,090-1,091 



218 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Blue mud 

White rock 

Blue mud 

White rock 1 

Blue mud 

White rock ] 

Blue mud 

White rock 

Blue mud 

White rock 1 

Blue mud 1 

White rock 1 

Blue mud 

White rock 

Blue mud 

White rock 

Blue mud 

White rock 

Blue mud 

White rock 

Blue mud 1 

Rock honeycomb 1 

Blue mud 1 

White rock 1 

Bro vrn shale 1 

Red gravel 1 

Blue mud , 1 

White rock 1 

Blue shale 

Blue mud 

White rock 

Blue mud 

White rock 

Blue mud 

White rock 1 

Blue mud 1 

White rock ] 

Blue mud 1 

While rock 1 

Blue mud 1 

White rock 1 

Blue mud 1 



Feet. 
, 091-1, 100 
, 100-1, 101 
, 101-1, 105 
, 105-1, 106 
, 106-1, 112 
, 112-1, 114 
, 114-1, 117 
, 117-1, 118 
,118-1,] 33 
, 133-1, 134 
, 134-1, 160 
, 160-1, 161 
, 161-1, 170 
, 170-1, 171 
, 171-1, 174 
,174-1,175 
, 175-1, 225 
, 225-1, 230 
, 230-1, 255 
, 255-1, 260 
, 260-1, 275 
, 275-1, 290 
, 290-1, 300 
,300-1,302 
, 302-1, 360 
, 360-1, 362 
, 362-1, 378 
, 378-1, 379 
, 379-1, 480 
, 480-1, 525 
, 525-1, 526 
, 526-1, 535 
, 535-1, 536 
, 536-1, 558 
, 558-1, 559 
, 559-1, 590 
, 590-1, 591 
, 591-1, 604 
. 604-1, 605 
, 605-1, 607 
, 607-1, 608 
, 608-1, 612 



No division of this record is possible. It includes the Lissie gravel, marine Miocene 
beds, the equivalents of the Fleming clay and the Catahoula sandstone, and probably 
also the Jackson formation. 



441. Section of Atlantic 6c Pacific Oil Co.' swell No. 1 at Sourlake, Hardin County, 

Tex. 

[Furnished by Mr. Putnam.] 

Lissie gravel and Miocene beds: Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Sand and traces of oil 0-47 

Blueclay 47 0- 53 

Sand and traces of oil 53 0-130 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 219 

Liesie gravel and Miocene beds — Continued. Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Blue clay 130 0-186 

Gravel, limestone, and pyrites of iron 186 - 188 

Blue clay, sandstone, and pyrites of iron 188 0-214 10 

Blue clay, hard on top, softer as drill penetrated. 214 10-246 10 

Sand , 246 10-248 10 

Blue clay and gravel; slight trace of oil 248 10 - 293 10 

Mud ("gumbo") 293 10-337 10 

Rock, apparently bowlder; showing trace of oil . 337 10 - 338 10 

Blue clay 338 10-348 10 

Clay and hard shale 348 10-368 10 

Blue clay 368 10-372 10 

Blue clay, with 1 foot rock at 383 to 384 consid- 
erable gas, slight show of oil 372 10-386 

- Bock, hard limestone 386 0-391 

Mud ("gumbo ") ; gas and oil traces 391 0-398 

Bluemud 398 0-431 0- 

Clay and hard mud 431 0-485 

Sandstone 485 0-488 

Limestone 488 0-490 

Blueclay 490 0-493 

Mud ("gumbo ") and gravel 493 0-527 

Blue clay, resembling shale 527 - 562 10 

Blue clay; slight gas and trace of oil. 562 10 - 577 10 

Blue clay, resembling soapstone; strong gas pres- 
sure and good flow of oil 577 10-630 

Hard clay, resembling soapstone; very strong gas 

pressure and heavy flow of oil 630 - 635 

Clay resembling shale ; at 640 feet struck oil sand . 635 - 640 

Oil sand not passed through 640 0-682 

This was the first well to "gush " oil at Sourlake. 
442. Condensed section of the Atlantic & Pacific Oil Co.'s well No. 2 at Sourlake, Tex. 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Mostly sand with gravel and bowlders 0-170 

Hard clay with beds of stones at intervals of about 6 feet ; 

some oil in hard strata 170-450 

Hard clay 450-560 

Principally gumbo clay and hard limestone streaks about 

5 feet thick 560-600 

Blue clay and gumbo with some hard strata of limerocks 

and some gravel beds 600-680 

Streaks of oil sand and streaks of hard clay between 680-725 

443. Section of Gulf . Colorado <Sc Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well at Dies. Tex. 

Feet. 

Soil 0- 3 

Lissie gravel : 

Clay 3-18 

Dry sand 18-66 

Dark clay 66-75 

Water sand 75-268 



220 <JEOL(X;\ AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

HARRIS COUNTY. 
GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

Dewitt formation. — The Dewitt formation is of great economic im- 
portance in Harris County as a source of water. (See PI. IX.) At 
Houston as many as eight water-bearing sands are tapped between 
137 and 1,179 feet below the surface. (See well 48 under well No. 
534, p. 227.) The sands at 137 to 210, 290 to 316, 571 to 585 belong 
to the Lissie gravel, but the sands at 608 to 618, 687 to 705, 772 to 
810, 895 to 940, and 1,137 to 1,179 belong to the Dewitt forma- 
tion. (See fig. 14 and PI. I.) All supply remarkably pure and soft 
water. The Dewitt formation may likewise be depended on in the 
northern half of the county to yield potable water at depths not 
exceeding 1,200 feet. In the oil fields, however, impotable water 
may be expected at much shallower depths. At Humble, for exam- 
ple, the water is fresh to 600 feet but is salt in the oil sand at 1,120 
feet. At Hockley, brackish water is encountered at 750 feet. Hum- 
ble and Hockley, so far as known, are the only localities in Harris 
County that produce brackish water at comparatively shallow depths. 
When occasion demands, the sands of the Dewitt formation are 
worthy of exploitation to depths not exceeding 1,200 feet. 

Lissie gravel. — The northwestern half of Harris County is occupied 
by the outcrop of the Lissie gravel, which constitutes an artesian 
reservoir, embedded to the south beneath the relatively impervious 
Beaumont clay. (See PI. I.) That the geologic conditions are ideal 
for artesian wells is amply demonstrated by the numerous borings 
that tap these sands. 

In the catchment area of the reservoir the flowing wells are con- 
fined to the valleys and the lowlands. At Aldine, in the lowlands, 
flows are obtained at 65 feet, 240 to 280 feet, 400 feet, and greater 
depths. At Zimbi, near Katy, on the divide, wells 480 and 520 feet 
deep fail to produce flows. Where the sands are under cover the 
system produces flows on the uplands as well as in the valleys, as at 
Houston, Almeda, Harrisburg, Deepwater, Genoa, Seabrook, La- 
porte, and other points. (See PI. VII.) 

Most of the water derived from these sands by wells ranging in 
depth from 362 feet at Humble to 730 feet at Webster is potable. 
Much of it is very soft. (See analysis of well No. 512, table facing 
p. 110.) It is used in locomotive boilers at Humble, Genoa, Houston, 
and elsewhere; for steaming in many manufacturing plants at 
Houston; and for rice irrigation at Almeda, Webster, and many other 
places. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 221 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Harris County are given in the following table: 
Wells and springs in Harris County, Tex. 



444 



415 
446 



447 

448 

449 

450 

451 

452 

453 

454 

455 
456 
457 

458 

459 

460 

461 
462 
463 
464 
465 
466 



467 
468 



469 



470 



471 



472 



473 

474 
475 
476 



Location. 



Deer Park, f mile 
south. 

Deer Park 

....do 



Aldine, 3 miles 

north. 
Aldine, £ mile 

northeast. 
Aldine. 4 miles 

southeast. 
Aldine, 5 miles 

northwest. 
Aldine, 4 miles 

west. 
Barker, 1 mile 

south. 
Barker, 1£ miles 

south. 
Barker, 2 miles 

south. 
Strong Junction . . . 

La Porte 

La Porte, Spillway 

Island. 
La Porte, center of 

town plat. 
La Porte, shore of 

Galveston Bav. 
Westfield, 3 miles 

northeast. 

Westfield 

Clodine 

Mykawa 

Zimbi 

....do 

Strange 



Hockley 

Hockley, 1,000 feet 

east or well No. 

467. 
Hockley, 1£ miles 

southwest of well 

No. 468. 
Hockley, 200 feet 

south of well No. 

468. 
Hockley, 800 feet 

south of well No. 

468. 
Hockley, 1,200 feet 

southeast of well 

No. 471. 
Cypress, 1£ miles 

from. 

Cypress, near 

Seabrook 

Seabrook, f mile 

east. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



Dunn farm. 



Owner. 



A. G. Howell. 



P. H. West 

G al veston , Harris- 
burg & San An- 
tonio By. 

H. Weary 



F. E. Markley.. 

Kellogg 

C. W. Hani.... 
do 

Irwin Boggs 

John Wendling. 
B. F. Smith.... 



Clark & Co. . . . 
Tom Jennings. 



Turkey Creek Oil 
Co. 

....do 

Meadow Brook Co 
C. F.Smith 



Galveston, Hous- 
ton & Hender- 
son R. R. (?) 
Higgins Oil Co — 
do 



....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

D. H. Skinner. 



J. A. Newton 

Seabrook Oil Co. (?) 
Seabrook Town- 
site Co. 



Driller. 



Dr. P. S. Griffith 



Lavne& Bonier. 



Harry A . Roberts. 
H. C. Roberts. . . . 
E. L. Wilson 



Layne & Bowler. 
Gust Warnecke.. 



Authority. 



A. G. Howell. 

T. U. Taylor. b 
Do. b 



W. H. Drummet. 
T. U. Taylor, b 

Do.b 

Do.b 

Do. b 

Irwin Boggs. 

Paul Wendling. 

T. L T . Taylor, b 

N. H. Darton. e 
T. U. Tavlor. b 
Do.b 

J. A. Singley.d 

Do.d 

Harry A. Roberts.* 

Do. 
T. U. Taylor. / 
E. L.Wilson. 
J. A. Singley.d 

Do.d 
T. U. Taylor, b 



Patillo Higgins. 
Do. 



Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 

A. Deussen. 

Do. 

Do. 
R. H. Lanaboe. 



o For additional data see notes following this table. 

b Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 25. 

c Darton, N. H., Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 149, 1905, p. 148. 

d Sihgley, J. A., Preliminary report on the artesian wells of the Gulf Coastal slope: Fourth Ann. Rept. 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1893. p. 107. 

« Fenneman. N. M., Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 
282, 1906, p. 162. 

/Tavlor, T. U., Rice irrigation in Texas: Bull. Univ. Texas No. 16, 1902, p. 21. 



222 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
Wi Us and springs in Harris County, Tec. — Continued. 



No. 


Location. 


Survey, headright, 
or street. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


477 


Seabrook 




C. H. Milbv 




Postmaster. 


478 


do 




E. A. Peden 1 




Do. 


479 


do 




C. W. Ruvers 




Do. 


480 


do 




Dr. J. M. Burrough 
n. D.Allen 1 




Do. 


481 


Seabrook, 3 miles 

northeast. 
Seabrook, 1} miles 

northeast. 
Seabrook, a m ii e 

northeast. 
Almeda 






T. U. Taylor.o 


482 




J. G. Todd 




Do.o 


483 




Alf Palm 




Do.a 


484 




C. F. Smith 




Postmaster, Al- 


4S5 


...;.do 




do 




meda. 
Postmaster. 


4S6 


do 




C. W. Mowerv 




Do. 




do 




A. D. Yound 




Do. 


488 


do 




J. C. Bridge 




A. L. Parker, post- 


489 


Almeda, H miles 

north. 
Almeda, 3i miles 

east. 
Almeda, 5 miles 

east-northeast. 
Erin, near 




M. Davidson 




master. 
T. U. Taylor.o 


490 




G. Dogg 




Do.a 


491 




John Swengel 




John Swengel. 


492 




J. H. O'Donnell... 




T. U. Taylor. 6 


4 C 3 


Katv, near 




T. G. Roberts 




Do.c 


494 


Deep water 




W. E. Jones 




Do.a 


495 


Deepwater, 1 mile 

north. 
Deepwater, If 

miles north. 
Deepwater, 2 miles 

north. 
Deepwater, 1 mile 

southeast. 
Deepwater, 1 mile 

northeast. 
Deepwater, 2 miles 

northwest. 
do 




do 




Do.o 


490 




do 




Do.o 


497 




do 




Do.o 


498 




do 




Do.o 


499 




Col. Hill 




Do.o 


500 




Wright 




Do.o 


501 




L. Zlemke 




Do.a 


50? 


Harrisburg, i mile 

east. 
Harrisburg, 1 mile 

east. 
Harrisburg 




C. H. MUby 

Chas. D. Allen 


Chas. Wright 


C. H. Milbv. 


503 




T. U. Taylor.o 


504 




Texas & New Or- 
leans R. R. 
Tud Allen 




Engineer mainte- 


505 


g | 
Morgan Point 




nance of wav. 
T. U. Taylor.o' 


500 


do 


X. A. Baker 




Do.a 


507 


Wooster, 1 mile 

west. 
do 




Q. A. Wooster 




Do.o 


508 


Lvnch "League 


Estate of T. A. 

Wooster. 
I. L. Pitts 




J. Brown, post- 
master. 
T. TJ. Taylor.o 
Do.o 


509 


Pasadena ' 




510 


do 


Public 




511 


do 


H. E. Halladay... 




Do.a 


-*l1a 


do 


Dr. McNyder 




Do.a 


512 


Genoa 




Galveston, Hous- 
ton & Henderson 
R. R. 

City 




R. V. Brewster, 


513 


do 






resident engineer. 

T. U. Taylor.o 
Do.o 


514 


Genoa. 2 miles 




H. Boehm 




north. 
515 Genoa, 2 miles 




Sam Allen 




Do.o 


south. 
510 Genoa. 4 miles 




do 




Do.o 


517 
518 


south. 
Genoa 




Col. Burnett 




Do.o 


Genoa. 1 mile, south 




Van Meter 




Do.o 


519 Genoa'. 2i miles 






II. W. Boehm.... 

F. A. Boehm 
Boehm 


H. W. Boehm. 


520 
521 


southwest. 

do 

Webster 


Putnam Survey... 


F. A. Boehm 

S. Saibara 


Do. 
J. W. Thompson. 
Seito Saibara. 


52? 


"Webster, $ mile 

east of post office. 

Webster 3$ miles. . 

Webster, 1 mile 

south. 
Webster : 




do... 


Layne & Bowler. 
do 


523 


Thomas Choate 
League. 


Frank Peck 


Frank Peck. 


524 


A. T,. Smith 




T. U. Taylor. « 
Do.o 


525 




H. D.T.Wilson... 





a Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supplv Paper U. S. Geol* 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 25. 
>> Taylor, T. U., Riee irrigation in Texas: Bull. Univ. Texas No. 16, 1902, p. 25. 
e Idem. p. 22. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 223 

Wells and springs in Harris County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Location. 


Survey, headright, 
or street. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


526 


Webster, 3 miles 
northeast. 




S.T.Nishimura 




T.U. Taylor. a 










527 


Webster, 1 mile 
north. 




L. Onishi 




Do.a 












528 


do 




R. Onishi 

J. A. Caplen 




Do.a 


529 


Webster, £ mile 




Do. « 




northeast. 









530 




R. Onishi.-- 


Layne & Bowler. 


R. Onishi. 




west. 









531 


Webster, £ mile 
north. 




T. Onishi 


do 


T. Onishi. 








532 


Webster 




Y. Konishi 

Robert Bruce. . .. 




Postmaster. 


533 


Webster, 3 miles 
east. 




Do. 






















(J. A. Singley.c- 












T. TJ. Taylor.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












J. A. Singley.fc 












Do." 












T. TJ. Taylor.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












J. A. Singley.b 












Bo.b 












Do. b 












Do.b 












T. U. Taylor.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 


534 


Houston, H miles 
west. 


14 acres on both 
sides of Buffalo 


City of Houston 
waterworks. 




Do.c 
Do.c 










Bayou. 






Do. c 










Do.c 










Do.c 










Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












J. A. Crummv. 












T. U. Taylor> 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 












Do.c 


535 


Houston, along 
Buffalo Bavou. 








J. A. Sin^lev.*' 
Do.b 












536 


Houston, 2 miles 




H. E. Detering.... 
C. R. Cummings 


Carl Sohulz 


Carl Schulz. 
W. C. Huff. 


537 


west. 
Houston, 4 miles 




Gust. Waroecko. 




east. 




Export Co. 





o Taylor, T. U., Underground war ers of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper T\ S. Geol 
Survey J^o. 190, 1907, p. 25. 
b Singley, J. A., op. cit., p. 106. 
c Taylor, T. U., op. cit., p. 26. 



224 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
Wells and springs in Harris County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 



538 

540 

541 

542 

543 
544 

545 

546 
547 

548 

549 
550 

551 

552 
553 

554 
555 
55G 
557 
558 

559 

560 
561 

562 

563 
564 

565 

566 

567 

568 

569 

570 

571 

572 

573 

574 

575 
576 



Location. 



Houston. 
do... 



c!o 

Houston, 300 feet 

north of post 

office. 
Houston 



.do. 

.do. 

.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



.....do 

Houston, 4 miles 

south. 
Houston 



.do. 
.do. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



Comer Commerce 
and Fannin 
streets. 

Corner McKinney 
and Fannin 
streets. 

Corner Austin 
Street and Com- 
merce Avenue. 



.....do 

Addicks 

do 

Addieks, 1 mile 

Addicks, 3 miles 

southwest. 
Cedar Bayou, 1J 

miles northeast. 

Cedar Bayou 

Cedar Bayou, 3 

miles northwest. 
Cedar Bayou, 1 

mile west. 

Cedar Bayou 

do 



Cedar Bayou, 1 

mile northwest. 
Cedar Bayou, J 

mile north. 
Cedar Bayou, 2 

miles northwest. 
Humble, 2 miles 

northeast. 
Humble 



Humble, 2 miles 

northeast. 
Humble, i mile 

east of railroad 

station. 
Humble 



Humble, 8 miles 

east. 
Humble 



.do. 
.do. 



Herrera Survey... 



Smith League. 



Brook's farm. 



Owner. 



Magnolia Brewerv 

Co. 
American Brewerv 

Co. 



Swift & Co. 



Young Men's 
Christian Asso- 
ciation. 

Houston Lighting 
& Power Co. 

Anheuser-B u s c h 
Brewing Ass'n. 

do., 

do 

Houston Ice & 
Brewing Co. 

do 

Crystal Springs Co. 

Aqua Pura "Water 

Co. 

Rice Hotel 

First National 

Bank. 

Brazos Hotel 

L. d'Heursel 

William Schulz, sr. 



Fort Smith. 



R. J. Tompkins.. 

W. L. Massey 

Dr. Leon van Mel- 

dert. 
M. Casey 



Sol Fisher. 



J. M. Brooks. 



Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. 
H. W. Barkuloo . . 

W. F.Brice&Co.. 

P. M. Granbeiry 

&Co. 
Coxy Oil Co 



Westheimer Well. 



Houston East & 
West Texas Ry. 



Bender & Co.'s 

sawmill. 
H.F.V. Blender.. 



Driller. 



Gust. Warnecke.. 
do 



....do.. 
....do.. 



Layne & Bowler 
Carl Schulz.. .". '. 



R. J. Tompkins. 
....do 



Jasper Tompkins 
R.J. Tompkins . 



Collin Smith 

H. W. Barkuloo . 
PhilAudridge... 
W. A. Young... 
Fred Chase 



Layne & Bowler. 



Authority. 



T. U. Taylor.a 

Do.a 

Do.b 
R. S. Womack. 



W. A. Scott, secre- 
tary. 

A. Deussen. 



J. A. Singley.e 

Do.<" 
Do.e 
Do.c 

Do.c 
A. Deussen. 



Layne & Bowler. 
L. d'Heursel. 
William Schulz, sr. 
Pat Walsh. 
T. U. Taylor.a 

R.J.Tompkins. 

W. L. Massey. 
Dr. Leon van Mel 

dert. 
M. Casey. 

Postmaster. 
William Ken- 

nedy.d* 
J. M. Brooks. 

H. W. Barkuloo. 

Do. 

T. J. Wood.* 

P. M. Granberry. 

T. J. Wood.* 

N. M. Fenneman./ 



I. A. Cottingham, 
engineer, main- 
tenance of way. 

William Kennedy. 

J. A. Singley.fl 

T. U. Taylor.a 
N. H. Darton.ft 



o Taylor, T. L\, Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geob 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. k5. 

*> Idem, p. 27. 

cSinglcy, J. A., op. cit., p. 106. 

d Haves', C. W., and Kennedv, William, Oil fields of the Texas- Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. 
U. S. Geol. Survev No. 212, 1903, p. 46. 

« Fuller, M. L., and Sanford, Samuel, Record of deep-well drilling for 1905: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey 
No. 298, 1906, p. 162. 

/ Fenneman, N. M., op. cit., p. 68. 

o Sinerley. .7. A., op. cit.. p. 107. 

A Djrtoii, N. H., Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States- Watcr-Supplv Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 149, 1905, p. 14>. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 
Wells and springs in Harris County, Tex. — Continued. 



225 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depth of 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Height of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


444 


Inches. 
2 ... 


Feet. 
325 


Feet. 
30 


Feet. 
325 


Feet. 


Galls. 


Galls. 


445 




344... 






Flows 






446 




330 






do 








9. . 


1,610 




(200 


No flow 






447 


{650 


(?) 


} 








65 




[950...- 


(?) 




448 




Flows 




449 




400 






do 






450 




240 






do 






451 




280 






do 






45? 


9# 


172 




100-170 


+4 




eo. 


453 


llg 


155 




35 


Flows 


800.... 


10. 


454 




88 






do 






3 


450 






+9 




48. 


456 


6 


440 






Flows 




350. 


457 


4. . 


380 






do 




170. 


458 


6 


440 




440 

454 


do 

do 




80. 


459 


3 


454 




41. 


460 


8f to 5f 


831 




43-62, 129-139, 
151-161, 198- 
215, 298-312, 
497-517, 520- 
543, 613-638, 
654-684, 794- 
830. 








461 


684 










46? 


10 


150 






—20 






463 


9f 


950 

480 




/600 


(?) 


None.. 
...do.. 


200. 




\860 


4-2 


46+ 




do 


None. 


465 




520 






Do. 


466 




450 






Flows 






467 




730 




117 


Flowed 










863 




/312 


(?) 


} 




468 


\750 











545 






469 


400 






470 




510 












471 
















47? 
















473 




1,800 












474 




2,800 






Flows 






475 




1 148 




(40-30 


(?) 






4 


720 


13(?) 


\382-409, 424-430, 
480-488, 513- 
534, 542-670. 

/250 


Flows 








j+10 






476 


\400, 720 






2 


400 










477 






478 


4 


650 












479 


4 


700 












480 


4 


700 












481 




660 






Flows 






48? 




640 






do 






483 


3 


670 






.do.. 




70. 


484 


10 


700 












485 


9f 


750 












486 


9g 


600 












487 


9f 


125 












488 




700 












489 




500 






Flows 






490 




450 






do 






491 


10 


308 


50(?) 


100, 300.. 




800.... 




49?! 




98+ 




52-98 


—4 




493 




130 










494 




330 






Flows 






495 




340 






do 






496 




340 






...do 






497 




340 






...do 






498 




330 






...do 






499 




330 






do 






500 




300 






do 






501 




300 






...do 






50? 


3 


640 






+ 15 






503 




659 






Flows: 




100. 


504 


6 


626J 




595-618 








505 















14926°— wsp 335—14- 



-15 



226 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wells and springs in Harris County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Diameter of 

well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depth of 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Height of water 

above (+ ) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


506 


Inches. 


Feet. 
440 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 
Flows 


Galls. 


Galls. 


507 




217 






do 






50fl 




217 


15(?) 


(100 








\217 


+25 










210 






509 




Flows 






510 




290 






do.. 







511 




310 






do.. 






fillfl 




180 






. do 






51? 


6 


683.5 


49.4 


661-683.5 








513 


600 






Flows . 






514 


90 






do.. 






515 


250 




,. do.. 






516 


250 




do 






517 


3 


700 


do 






518 


300 


1 . do 






519 


9| 

91 

10 

10 

91 


550 






\+20 


1,500 






/90 




520 


850 


ou (, :; 


\550,820 




zw. 






J 

Flows 

+ 18 


1,800.. 




591 


725 


650. 


300. 


5??, 


675 








730 


<300 









523 


\600, 730 










570 




5?4 




Flows 






5715 


520 




do 






5 9 6 


475 


do 






527 


615 


do 






5?8 


. 470 




do 






5?9 


450 




do 






530 


10 

10 

10 


700 

670 


45 


600 


+ 12 


2,100.. 
2,000.. 


120. 


531 




550 


+i 




53? 


700 






533 


500 


Flows 








15 

6 

6 


140 140 


do 




756. 




140 


140 


do 








80 ! 




do 








15 


140 1 


140 


do 








15 


140 


140 


do 








15 


140 


140 


do 








15 

6 


140 


140 


do 








154 ' 


154 


do 




175. 




8 

6 

6 


312 


312 


...do 




208. 




328 


328 


do 








130 


130 


do 








4 


328 


328 


do 








8 


292 


292 


do 








8 


292 

460 


292 


do 








8 




do 








6 


460 


do 








8 


564 564 


do 




140. 




6 


115 


115 


do 




140. 




8 


493 




do 




126. 




4 


183 J 


183 


do 




147. 




8 


314 ' 


314 


.... do 








8 


703 ! 


703 


do 






534 


8 


692 


692 


do 








6 


192 


192 


do 








6 


204 1 




do 








8 


802 ! 


802 


do 








8 


1,170 


1,170 


do 








10 

12 




1290-316 


do 








814 


\772-814 


do 








I 
502 








do 








1,165 1.165... 


do 








8 


317 ! 

319 

823 


317 


do 








12 


316 


do 








10 




do 








9 


1,185 < 


do 








12 


1,171 


1,171 


do 








8 

12 

12 

10 

12 

8 

8 

7 

\8 


292 


'' 292 


do 








314 


314 


do 








1,173 


1,173 


do 








325 




do 








684 




do 








211.. 


. 210 


do 








319 




do 








720 




do 








806 


806 


do 







SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 
Wells and springs in Harris County, Tex. — Continued. 



22 



No. 


Diameter of 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depth of 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Height of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


• 


Inches. 
(8 


Feet. 
496 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 
Flows 


Galls. 


Galls. 




8 


800 




800 


do 









12 


1,185 






do 










2,025 




137-210 


do 








290-316 


do 








571-585 


do 








608-618 


do 








1687-705 


do 1 






8 


1,214 








772-810 


do 1 






895-940 


do 




534 


1,137-1,179 


do 1 






do ! 






8 


1,305 






do 1 






8 


1,280 






do 








8 


936 




936 


do 








8 


936 




936 


do 








8 


501 






do 








8 


828 






do 








8 


635 






do 








8 


422 






...do L- 


229. 


535 


6 


80 




80 


Flows 


121.... 
40 


34. 


536 


3 


124... 




30,50.85,124 


—38 




537 


6 


500 


12 


+3 








150 






Flows 


35. 






300 






do 




209. 






200 






...do 




104. 


538 




500 






...do 




249. 






500 






...do 




250. 






500 






...do 




490. 






800 






...do 








t 


180 






...do 




40. 






242 






...do 




125. 






339 






...do 




75. 


540 




800 






. .. do 




95. 






570 






...do 




45. 






830 






...do 




175. 


541 




2,025 




154 to 161 and 

others. 
480 








54? 


8-6 


900 


35 


+2 


140. . . . 
200.... 


25. 


543 


6 


500 


50 


500 


—20 




544 


8 


1,350 




1,350 


Flows. . . 


280. 


545 




160 




160 








546 




300 




300 








547 


5 


850 




850 


Flows. . 




208. 


548 


6 


142 




142 


...do 




350. 


549 




158 




158 












1,613 




,493-520 ;. 


Flows 








595-601 






604-637 




550 


805-838 




551 








1,063-1,087 

1,503-1,506 

1,520-1,530 


Flows. . . 






552 




? 2,500 












553 
















554 




1,320 


38 




Flows 








8 


300 


45 


(40-120 




1,200.. 




555 


{200-250... 








3 


130 


85 


[300 


-20 -- 




556 


22,120 


-6 

+2 


100.... 




557 




85 




60-85 




558 




180 






Flows 




559 


2 


114 


Vi 


/vo 


+9 




A 






)314 




22. 


560 


(30 







4 


548 


40 


\2,097 


+ 1.75 1 


17. 


561 


320,545 


+4 


14. 


562 


2 


516 




w 


+3 ' 


1. 




4 


300 




\300,400,516 








563 










.164 




238 










565 


2 


345 




345... 


+ 1 




3.5. 


566 


2 


285(?) 


25 


186 


+ 1 




42. 




2J 


320 


40 


(SO 


Flowed 






567 


{230,287 


do 














[320 1 


do 1 







228 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wells and springs in Harris Comity, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 



568 
569 

;>:o 

571 
572 
573 

574 
575 

576 



Diameter of 
well. 



Depth of well. 



Inches. 



1,205. 
990... 
1,140. 
1,500. 
612... 



Feet. 



Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 



Feet. 



H. 



. 600.. 
. 500.. 

. 1,500. 



Depth of 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 



Feet. 



30-40. 



84-104, 544-545. 

562£to586 

640 

600 



(600-650.... 
11,150-1,200. 



Height of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 



Feet. 



Yield per 
minute. 



Pump. 



Galls. 



Flows. 
....do. 
do. 



Flow. 



Gall*. 



48. 



No. 



Source of water. 



Quality. 



Remarks. 



444 
445 
446 

447 

448 
449 
450 
451 
452 
453 
454 
455 
456 
457 
458 
459 

460 

461 
462 
463 
464 

465 
466 
467 

468 

469 
470 
471 
472 
473 
474 

475 

476 

477 
478 
479 
480 
481 
482 
483. 
484. 
4S5 
486 
487 
488 
489 
490 
491 
492 
403 
494 
495 
496 
497 
498 
499 
500 
501 



Lissie. 



Iron and sulphur. . 



/Lissie.. 
\Dewitt . 



Lissie.. 
....do. 



Lissie... 

....do., 
/....do.. 
\Dewitt. 



Lissie. 



Dewitt . 
....do. 
....do. 



fRecent and Beaumont. 

\Lissie 

i Beaumont 

\Lissie 



Lissie. 

do. 

do. 

do. 



Hard.. 
....do. 



Good.. 
....do. 



Sulphur. 



Sulphur. . 

f Fresh 

\ Brackish. 



Hot sulphur. 
Fresh 



•Hard sulphur. 

Fresh 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 



Formerlv flowed. 



Drilled for oil. 



Used for rice irrigation; completed, 1907. 
Used for rice irrigation; completed, 1906. 



VOil test well (No. 3); no oil; completed, 1905. 

Oil test well. 

Used for rice irrigation; 47 wells, 20 feet apart. 

Used for rice irrigation; completed, 1907. 

At 480 feet a bed of gravel was met, and well 

abandoned; no water. 
Gravel not encountered here; no water. 
Two wells. 
Drilled for oil (No. 1); water suitable for drinking. 

JDrilled for oil (No. 2). 

Drilled for oil (No. 3). 

Drilled for oil (No. 4). 

On Mar. 31, 1908, well was 370 feet deep (No. 5). 

On Mar. 31. 1908, well was 630 feet deep (No. 6). 

Oil test well. 

Drilled for oil in 1907. 

Oil test well. 

Used for public supply; completed, 1896. 



Two wells. 



Hard Used for rice irrigation. 

Six wells, 50 feet apart; used for rice irrigation. 

Used for -rice irrigation. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN". 

Wells and springs in Harris County, Tex. — Continued. 



229 



No. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


SO? 




Soft 


Temperature, 72° F.; completed, 1900. 


w 






504 


Lissie 




Used in locomotive boilers. 


505 








506 








507 










j Beaumont 


(?) 


[•Used for garden irrigation. 


508 


\Lissie 


Some sulphur 


509 






510 








511 








511a 








51? 


Lissie 


See analyses Nos. 
512a and 512b, 
tablefacingp.110. 


Used in boilers. Two wells. 


513 






514 








515 








516 








517 








518 








519 


Marine Miocene ■ 


Show of gas. 




(Beaumont 


jsoft 


/Used for rice irrigation; show of gas; completed, 
\ 1905. 


520 


\Lissie 




do 


SB1 


do 


Used for rice irrigation; completed, 1904. 

Used for rice irrigation. Flow has decreased; 

completed, 1903. 
VUsed for rice irrigation; 18,000 gallons per day in 
/ in the pump; completed, 1906. 


5?? 








(Beaumont 




523 


\Lissie 


Soft 


5^4 






5?ft 








5?6 






S?7 








5?8 








5?9 








530 


Lissie 




Used for rice irrigation; water lowered 60 feet by 

pumping; completed, 1907. 
Used for rice irrigation; completed, 1907. 


531 


do 


Soft 


53? 






533 










fLissie 


Good. 


Well No. 1. 




....do 


do. 


Well No. 2. 




....do 


do 


Well No. 3. 




....do 


do 


Well No. 4. 




....do 


do.. 


Well No. 5. 




....do 


do... 


Well No. 6. 




....do 


do.. 


Well No. 7. 




....do 


do.. 


Well No. 8. 




....do 


do... 


Well No. 9. 




....do 


do 


Well No. 10. 




....do 


do.. 


Well No. 11. 




....do 


do.. 


Well No. 12. 




....do 


do... 


Well No. 13. 




....do 


do.. 


Well No. 14. 




....do 


do.... 


Well No. 15. 




....do 


do 


Well No. 16. 




....do 


do.. 


Well No. 17. 




....do 


. do. 


Well No. 18. 




....do 


..do.. 


Well No. 19. 




....do 


..do.. 


Well No. 20. 




....do 


do. 


Well No. 21. 




....do 




Well No. 22. 


■534 


do 




Well No. 23. 




....do 


Good 


Well No. 24. 








Well No. 25 




....do 


. do . 


Well No. 26. 




....do 


do 


Well No. 27. 




....do 


. do.. 


}well No. 28. 
Well No. 29. 




....do 


.. do.. 






. do. 




Dewitt 


...do.. 


Well No. 30. 




Lissie 


. do. 


Well No. 31. 




....do 


do 


Well No. 32. 






do 


Well No. 33. 




Lissie 


do 


Well No. 34. 




Dewitt 


..do.. 


Well No. 35. 




Lissie 


do.. 


Well No. 36. 




....do 


do 


Well No. 37. 




Dewitt 


do 


Well No. 38. 






Well No. 39 




rin 


Well No. 40. 




Lissie 


. do. 


Well No. 41. 






do 


Well No. 42 






. do. 


Well No. 43. 






do 


Well No. 44. 



230 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

IT< Us ami springs in Harris County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Source of "water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 




1 


Good 

do 


Well No 45 




Dewitt 


Well No 46 






. do. 


Well No 47 




Lissie 


do... 






....do 


do 






... do 


do.. 






....do 


do... 






....do 


do 


[Well No. 48. 




Dewitt 


do 






... do 


do.. 




534 


....do 


do.. 










Well No 49 








Well No 50 






Good... 


Well No 51 




Dewitt 


do 


Well No 52 




....do 


do.. 


Well No. 53 






do... 


Well No. 54 






do.. 








do.. 


Well No 56 






do 


Well No. 57 


535 


Lissie 


Good 




536 


...do 


Hard 


Used for garden irrigation; completed, 1897. 
Completed in 1895; water used m boilers. 
Seven wells. 


537 


.do 


Iron o 


538 






540 






Six wells. 


541 


Lissie 






54? 


do 

....do 


Hard 


Used for ice making and in boiler; temperature, 

82° F. Completed, 1906. 
Completed, 1907; temperature of water, 75° F. 
Completed, 1908; water used in boilers. 


543 


Sdft 


544 


Dewitt 


do 


545 


Lissie 




546 


. do 






547 


Dewitt 


Good 


The water sand consists of 12 feet of sand full of 


R4A 


Lissie 


do 


flint and quartz pebbles. 


549 


do 


do 






/Lissie 


do 


\ 




....do 


do 






....do 


do 




550 


Marine Miocene (?) 


do... 


•Oil test well. 




....do 


do 






Catahoula (?) 


(?) 

(?) 

Soft 






....do 


J 


551 






55? 




do 




553 




do 




554 




do 


Completed, 1904. 


555 


Lissie 


Soft 


Used for rice irrigation. 


556 


do 


do 


Temperature, 70° F.; used for steam boilers; 


RB7 


do 




completed in 1906. 


558 








W 


(Beaumont 

\Lissie 

( Recent and Beaumont 

(Marine Miocene 

Lissie 

(Beaumont 

(Lissie 


Isoft 


Used for truck irrigation; completed, 1903. 


560 


l....do 


Water hot. 


561 


Sulphur 


Temperature, 73°F.; used for truck irrigation; com- 


V 


\....do 


pleted in 1905; saturated with hydrogen sul- 
phide, but loses taste of gas if exposed 24 hours. 


S63 


/ 




564 








565 


(Beaumont 

J ..do 


Soft 


Yield 5,000 gallons per dav, natural flow; com- 


566 


do 


pleted, 1907. 
Completed, 1907. 

[Formerly flowed 15.000 gallons in 24 hours; used 


S67 






(Lissie 


Soft 


[ for garden irrigation; completed, 1902. 


568 




Oil well: oil rock at 1,18S-1,204 feet, pumping 500 


569 
S70 


Lissie 


Sulphur, but good. 


barrels a day; completed, 1905. 
Water used in boilers; oil at 950-990 feet, pumping 

100 barrels per day. 
Oil well (No. 1); gas sands at 700-800 feet; oil at 


V71 


Lissie 




1.120 feel, flowing 250 barrels a dav; com- 
pleted, 1905. 
Oil well. 


57? 


do 




Used in boilers. Well completed, Sept. 13, 1905. 


573 


do.. 


Good 




574 


. .do.. 


Fresh 




575 








576 


/Lissie 

(Dewitt 


} 


Oil test well. 




/ 





• For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 231 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

460. ! Section of Turkey Creek Oil Co.'s well (well No. 3 on Dunn farm), 3 miles northeast 

ofWestfield, Tex. 

Lissie gravel and Dewitt formation: Feet. 

Soft red and yellow clay and sand 0-43 

Soft white sand ; water-bearing 43- 62 

Soft yellow clay, solid formation 62-129 

Soft white sand ; water-bearing 129-139 

Soft yellow clay 139-151 

Soft white sand ; water-bearing 151-161 

Soft yellow clay 161-198 

Soft white sand ; water-bearing 198-215 

Soft red and yellow clay, mostly red 215-296 

Soft gray sandstone 296-298 

Soft white sand ; water-bearing 298-312 

Medium-hard gray marl 312-359 

Soft gray shaly sandstone 359-362 

Soft gray marl 362-366 

Medium-hard gray limestone 366-370 

Medium-hard dark -gray marl containing much sand 370-388 

Very hard dark-gray rock, called " quartzite " by driller. . 388-390 

Medium-soft red and gray gumbo 390-410 

Hard white rock 410-413 

Medium-soft gray gumbo 413-^422 

Very hard rock 422-425 

Medium-soft gray gumbo. 425-440 

Medium-soft gray sandstone 440-443 

Medium-soft gray gumbo with intermingled sand 443-460 

Medium-hard gray rock 460-462 

Medium-soft gray gumbo 462^197 

Soft white sand; water-bearing 497-517 

Medium-hard white sandstone 517-520 

Soft white sand; water-bearing 520-543 

Medium-soft gray gumbo with sand 543-573 

Medium-hard white sandstone 573-577 

Medium-soft gray gumbo (sticky, limy clay) 577-611 

Soft gray rock 611-613 

Soft white to brownish sand ; water-bearing 613-638 

Soft white sandstone 638-641 

Medium-soft gray and yellow sandy gumbo (sticky, limy 

clay) 641-650 

Hard gray rock (fine sandstone) 650-654 

Soft white limy sand; water-bearing 654-684 

Medium-soft gray gumbo with sand 684-698 

Soft gray limestone 698-715 

Medium-soft gray gumbo or marl 715-737 

Hard gray limestone 737-739 

Medium-soft gray gumbo or marl 739-760 

Gray limestone, top soft, bottom hard 760-772 

Medium soft gray gumbo or marl with large bowlder (pre- 
sumably limy concretion) from 792 to 794 feet 772-794 

1 Fuller, M. L., and Sanford, Samuel, Record for deep-well drilling for 1905: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey 
No. 298, 1906, pp. 276-277. 



232 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Lissie gravel and Dewitt formation — Continued. 

Soft white sand; water-bearing, with soft gray sandstone Feet. 

from 815 to 818 feet 794-830 

Medium-soft gray gumbo or marl 830-831 

461. Partial section of Turkey Creek Oil Co.'s well at Westfeld, Tex. 

Lissie gravel and Dewitt formation: Feet. 

Soft red, yellow and gray, sandy limestone 577-G11 

Soft red, yellow and gray, clayey sandstone or clay and 

sand 613-638 

Red, yellow and gray, limy clay with coarse sand 641-650 

Gray sandstone, quartz grains fine to medium, smells of 

oil 650-654 

Medium sand with yellow clay 654-684 

464. Section of well at Zimbi, Tex. 

Feet. 

Soil and subsoil 0- 2 

Lissie gravel: 

Alternating red and yellow clays 2-62 

Sand 62-480 

Gravel 480- 

Another well in the same locality (No. 465) was bored to a depth of 520 feet without 
going through the gravel, and was abandoned. No water was found at any depth in 
either well. 

467. In Higgins well No. 1 at Hockley a "limestone" (seen by the writer) was 
entered at a depth of 14 feet and continued with very little change to 730 feet, where 
the well was abandoned without passing through it. At 300 feet in a stratum of shale 
(thickness not known) shark teeth were found. 

The following is an analysis of this limestone from a depth of about 14 feet by Prof. 
P. S. Tilson, of Houston. 

Analysis of limestone from Higgins well No. 1 at Hockley, Tex. 

Feet. 

Organic matter 0. 04 

Silica (Si0 2 ) 60. 26 

Oxides of iron and aluminum (Fe 2 3 and A1 2 3 ) .36 

Calcium oxide (CaO) 21. 42 

Magnesium oxide (MgO) .55 

Carbon dioxide (C0 2 ) 17. 26 

Sulphur trioxide (S0 3 ) 34 

Water (H 2 0) 03 

100. 26 

468. In the Higgins well No. 2 at Hockley a limy shale was encountered at a depth 
of 312 feet, and solid rock of the character found in No. 1 (No. 467) at 550 feet, which 
had not been penetrated at a depth of 863 feet. Brackish water from the rock between 
550 to 750 feet rises just to the surface. 

469. In Higgins well No. 3 at Hockley the limy shale found in well No. 2 was 
encountered at a depth of 312 feet and solid rock like that in Nos. 1 and 2 (Nos. 467, 
468) between 438 and 545 feet. No water was found in this well beneath 400 feet. A 
very hard ledge, 1 foot thick, was met. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 233 

One and a half miles west of well No. 1 (No. 467) a sandstone outcrops at the surface 
and a few yards beyond the above-described " limestone "is found at a depth of 14 feet. 

470. In Higgins well No. 4 at Hockley bowlders (perhaps concretions) were en- 
countered at a depth of 16 feet and solid rock like in Nos. 1, 2, and 3 at 400 feet. 

471. In Higgins well No. 5 at Hockley the solid rock described above was struck 
at 338 feet. 

472. In Higgins well No. 6 bowlders in shale (probably concretions) were encoun- 
tered. At the time of writing well is in progress. In none of the wells put down by 
the Higgins Co. at Hockley has the bottom of the solid rock described been reached. 

The varying depths at which the solid rock described above is encountered in the 
different wells, at 14 feet in No. 1 and at 500 feet, 1,000 feet east, in No. 2, is probably 
not to be ascribed to abnormal dips. The solidification by cementation with lime 
carbonate is of secondary origin, and may affect stratigraphically different beds. The 
zones of solidification are the work of ground waters, perhaps ascending under artesian 
pressure along sandy zones' or possibly also fissure or fault lines and are independent 
of the sand lenses, and thus appear to have dips reverse to the normal southeast dip of 
the beds. 

475. Section ofSeabroolc Oil Co.'s (?) well atSeabrook, Tex. 

[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Beaumont clay: Feet. 

Red clay 0- 40 

Water sand 40- 50 

Red clay 50- 66 

Rock 66- 74 

Bluish sand 74- 86 

Rocky shell 86- 98 

Red clay 98- 168 

Solid shell 168- 170 

Red and blue clay 170- 255 

Blue sand 255- 270 

Red and blue clay shell. 270- 310 

Blue gumbo 310- 382 

Lissie gravel: 

Water sand 382- 409 

Gumbo 409- 424 

Water sand 424- 430 

Gumbo 430- 480 

Water sand 480- 488 

Gumbo 488- 513 

Water sand 513- 534 

Gumbo 534- 542 

Water, sand, and gravel shell 542- 670 

Blue gumbo 670- 681 

Sand 681- 685 

Gumbo 685- 703 

Sand 703- 723 

Gumbo 723- 768 

Sand 768- 778 

Gumbo 778- 787 

Blue sand 787- 806 

Gumbo 806- 826 

Sand and shell 826- 848 

Gumbo 848- 858 



234 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Lissie gravel — Continued. Feet. 

Sand and shell 858- 909 

Limerock 909- 914 

Gumbo 914- 929 

Shell and pyrites; gas 929- 952 

Gumbo 952- 976 

Soft clay and shell 976-1, 006 

Blue sand and shell 1, 006-1, 058 

Clay and shell 1, 058-1, 073 

Soft rock 1, 073-1, 075 

Clay and shell 1, 075-1, 110 

Sand and shell with gas 1, 110-1, 146 

Rock 1, 146-1, 148 

491. Mr. John Swengel writes concerning the ground- water conditions at Almeda 
as follows: 

"This vicinity is level prairie with a black, sticky soil. On the higher ridges the 
soil is sandy. This soil is underlain with red clay and blue clay [Beaumont clay], 
there being no rock or gravel. A stratum of sand is met at 50 to 60 feet, usually about 
20 to 25 feet thick. This sand is water bearing, and a 10-inch well will pump about 
400 gallons per minute. At about 275 feet another water-bearing sand stratum is 
reached, which will yield about the same amount of water as the one above. [Sand 
is in the Lissie reservoir.] At about 600 feet another water-bearing sand stratum is 
encountered [Lissie reservoir] which will yield more than twice as much water as 
either of the above. Near 900 feet another water-bearing sand is met [Lissie] which 
will yield about the same amount of water as the one at 600 feet. The water from each 
of these strata is used for irrigating rice. These wells cost complete about $4 per foot. 
All the water is warm; I do not know the exact temperature." 

502. C. H. Milby, of Harrisburg writes: "Many years ago I discovered artesian 
water here by boring with a common wood auger. It took many months to finish the 
well. I had no idea of getting a flowing well; only expected plenty of water at a 
depth of 104 feet. The well commenced to flow a very small stream, but from that 
beginning all this country is supplied by artesian water * * * ." 

504. Section of the Texas & New Orleans Railroad Co.'s well at Harrisburg, Tex. 

Feet. 

Surface soil 0- 3 

Beaumont clay: 

Clay 3-113 

Lissie gravel: 

Sand 113-138 

Clay 138-144 

Sand 144-164 

Clay 164-168 

Sand 168-185 

Clay 185-304 

Sand 304-319 

Clay 319-401 

Sand * 401-421 

Clay 421-510 

Sand 510-525 

Clay 525-595 

Sand 595-618 

Clay 618-626. 5 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



285 



512. Section of Galveston, Houston & Henderson Railroad Co.'s well No. 1 at Genoa, 

Tex. 

[Furnished by Mr. R. V. Brewster, resident engineer.] 

Beaumont clay : Feet. 

Clay 0- 80 

Sand and gravel 80- 98 

Red clay 98-198 

Blue clay 198-513 

Lissie gravel : 

Joint clay 513-573 

Quicksand 573-653 

"Hardpan" and clay 653-661 

Coarse water sand 661-683. 5 

534. Section of the Houston Waterworks Co.'s well No. 28 at Houston, Tex. 

Recent deposits and Beaumont clay : Feet. 

Surface soil 0-30 

Clay 30-44 

Lissie gravel : 

Sand and rock 44- 74 

Clay 74-89 

Sand and gravel 89- 93 

White clay 93-137 

Sand 137-210 

Clay and gravel 210-290 

White sand and gravel, water bearing; hard to finish. . 290-316 

Clay and gravel 316-356 

Red sand 356-393 

Clay and gravel 393-456 

White clay and gravel 456-496 

Sand, clay, and gravel 496-514 

Sand 514-526 

Gravel 526-532 

Clay 532-570 

"Limestone" 570-571 

Sand and gravel 571-585 

Clay 585-600 

Hard rock 600-602 

Clay 602-608 

Sand 608-618 

Clay 618-658 

Clay and gravel 658-668 

Sand " 668-678 

Clay and sand 678-687 

Sand 687-705 

Clay and gravel 705-745 

Dewitt formation : 

Sand 745-756 

White clay 756-772 

Water-bearing sand 772-814 



230 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Section of Houston Waterworks Co.' 'a weU No. 48, l\ miles west of Houston, Tex. 

[See fig. 14, p. 15o.] 

Recent deposits and Beaumont clay: Feet. 

Sand, reddish 1- 30 

Soft, red clay 30- 44 

Lissie gravel: 

Soft red sand and rock 44- 74 

Hard red clay 74- 89 

Sand and gravel 89- 93 

White clay; hard 93- 137 

Red sand ; three wells on this stratum 137- 210 

Red clay and gravel; hard drilling 210- 290 

Whitish sand and gravel; hard drilling; 6 wells in this 

stratum 290- 316 

Reddish clay and gravel; hard drilling 316- 356 

Red sand; hard drilling 356- 393 

White clay and gravel 393- 456 

Whitish gray sand 456- 496 

Clay and gravel 496- 514 

Light-gray sand 514- 526 

Gravel 526- 532 

Whitish clay 532- 570 

Very hard rock 570- 571 

White sand and gravel; 2 wells in this stratum 571- 585 

Reddish clay 585- 600 - 

Porousrock 600- 602 

White clay 602- 608 

Gravel and sand ; 1 well in this stratum 608- 618 

Clay 618- 658 

White gravel and clay 658- 668 

Sand 668- 678 

Whitish porous clay and rock 678- 687 

White sand ; five wells in this stratum 687- 705 

Clay and gravel; hard drilling 705- 745 

Dewitt formation: 

Whitish sand 745- 756 

White clay 756- 772 

Sand ; 6 wells in this stratum 772- 810 

Clay 810- 815 

Sand 815- 835 

White clay 835- 895 

White sand ; 4 wells in this stratum 895- 940 

Reddish white clay 940-1, 134 

Hard rock 1, 134-1, 137 

Whitish gray sand ; 4 wells in this stratum 1, 137-1, 179 

Clay 1, 179-1, 236 

Whitish sand 1, 236-1, 314 

Hard rock 1, 314-1, 315 

Clay 1, 315-1, 354 

Sand 1, 354-1, 368 

Clay 1, 368-1, 430 

White sand and gravel 1, 430-1, 470 

Hard clay and rock 1, 470-1, 600 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 237 

Fleming (?) clay: Feet. 

Rock with gas; hard 1, 600-1, 605 

Clay 1, 605-1, 895 

Catahoula (?) sandstone: 

Sand 1, 895-1, 907 

Red clay 1, 907-2, 025 

541. Section of well at Houston, Tex,. 

Feet. 

Clay and sand - 154 

Sand, water-bearing . 154 - 161 

Clay 161 - 163 

Sand 163 - 210 

Clay 210 - 280 

Sand 280 - 312 

Clay 312 - 345 

Rock 345 - 345.5 

Sand 345. 5- 350 

Clay 350 - 415 

Sand 415 - 420 

Clay 420 - 465 

Sand 465 - 502 

Clay 502 - 540 

Sand 540 - 570 

Clay 570 - 605 

Sand and gravel 605 - 643 

Clay 643 - 670 

Sand and gravel 670 - 702 

Clay.... : 702 - 745 

Sand 745 - 769 

Clay 769 - 779 

Sand 779 - 805 

Clay 805 - 810 

Sand 810 - 835 

Clay 835 - 895 

Sand 895 - 940 

Clay 940 -1,134 

Rock 1, 134 -1, 137 

Sand 1,137 -1,179 

Clay 1,179 -1.236 

Sand 1, 236 -1, 314 

Rock ~. 1, 314 -1, 315 

Clay 1,315 -1,334 

Sand.. 1, 334 -1, 368 

Clay 1,368 -1,430 

Sand and gravel 1, 430 -1, 470 

Clay and rock 1, 470 -1, 600 

Rock with gas 1, 600 -1, 605 

Clay 1,605 -1,895 

Sand 1, 895 -1, 907 

Clay 1,907 -2,025 

The formations penetrated represent Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, Dewitt forma- 
tion, Fleming(?) clay, and Catahoula(?) sandstone. 



238 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



550. Section of Crystal Springs well, 4 miles south of Houston, Tex. 



[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Beaumont clay: 

Bed clay 

Sand 

Clay 

Lissie gravel : 

Sand ; with oil showing 

Clay and gumbo 

Sand; with oil showing 

Clay and gumbo 

Water sand 

Clay and gumbo 

Water sand 

Clay 

Water sand 

White limerock; oil showing 

Sand 

Clay and gumbo 

Sand 

White limerock 

Clay and gumbo 

Shale; oil showing 

Marine Miocene beds: 

Water showing 

Clay and gumbo 

Mixed rock; with oil 

'Clay and gumbo 

Sand 

Clay, gumbo, and shale 

Porous limerock; oil sand 1 

Clay and gumbo 

Big water stratum, large crystals 

Clay 

White limerock 

Clay 

White rock; good oil showing 

Fleming (?) clay: 

Clay and gumbo 

Clay; oil showing 

White porous limerock; oil 

Hard white limerock; oil 

Catahoula(?) sandstone: 

Water sand 1 

Clay mixed with rock 1 

Clay and gumbo 

Water sand 

Clay 

Very porous white limerock 

Loose formation 1 

Hard blue limerock; oil, strong gas 1 



Feet. 

0- 40 

40- 60 

60- 220 

220- 280 

280- 394 

394- 406 

406- 493 

493- 520 

520- 595 

595- 601 

601- 604 

604- 637 

637- 646 

646- 652 

652- 739 

739- 757 

757- 784 

784- 799 

799- 805 

805- 838 
838- 902 
902- 910 
910- 937 
937- 943 
943-1, 035 
035-1, 054 
054-1, 063 
063-1, 087 
087-1, 096 
096-1, 123 
123-1, 132 
132-1, 144 

144-1, 438 
438-1, 466 
466-1, 485 
485-1, 503 

503-1, 506 
506-1, 510 
510-1, 520 
520-1, 530 
530-1, 560 
560-1, 583 
583-1, 589 
589-1, 613 



564. Section of well on Smith League, Cedar Bayou, Harris County, Tex. 



.Beaumont clay: 
Red clav . . 



Feet. 
0- 75 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 239 

Lissie gravel: Feet. 

White sand 75-150 

Bluish clay, with shells 150-190 

Blue sand and pebbles 190-238 

569. Section of P. M. Granberry & Co.'s well at Humble, Tex. 

Lissie gravel : 

Soft gray and white sand; good water; carries sulphur, Feet. 

but used in boiler 30- 40 

Hard gray clay 40- 60 

Hard bluish sand and sandy clay; at 215 feet, oil; at 

230-232 feet, wood 60-215 

Hard gray sand and shale ; much gas 215-310 

Hard blue sand and sandy clay; much gas 310-400 

Black, blue and gray coarse sand; rather hard; much gas. 400-470 

Soft, fine, blue sand ; much gas 470—495 

Dewitt formation: 

Hard blue clay (shale) ; much gas 495-508 

Hard blue sand and clay mixed ; thin layers of rock every 

4 to 6 feet, 3 inches thick 508-572 

Hard blue shale ; layer of sand 8 to 10 feet 572-645 

Hard blue shale and sand; considerable gas; alternate 

layers 645-670 

Hard blue shale and sand; some soft places; very little 

gas 670-710 

Hard blue shale; some gas 710-790 

Hard blue shale; little oil and much gas 790-910 

Hard blue shale 910-930 

Hard blue shale; little oil, much gas 930-950 

Mixed rock and sand; calcareous sand; oil producing 100 

barrels per day of 24 hours' pumping. Oil of 28° B. 

gravity 950-990 

571. Section of Westheimer well in Humble oil field, % mile east of railroad station.. 

Harris County, Tex. 

Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Surface soil 0- 4 

Lissie gravel: 

Joint clay 4 0- 84 

Water sand 84 - 104 

Clay 104 0- 127 3 

Red and blue clay mixed 127 3- 292 5 

Same as above, with some gravel 292 5 - 420 1 

Yellow and blue clay 420 1- 463 8 

Very sticky clay 463 8- 507 5 

Not reported 507 5 - 538 

Hard rock 538 0- 539 

Blue gumbo 539 - 534 4 

Water, sand, and gravel 534 4- 544 4 

Hard blue clay with some gravel 544 4- 548 3 

Dewitt formation: 

Blue clay and blue gumbo 548 3- 587 7 

Quicksand with black specks and heavy gas 

pressure 587 7- 609 

Not reported 609 - 630 10 



240 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Dewitt formation — Continued. Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Blue and brown clay mixed, very tough 630 10 - 840 6 

Gypsum(?) 840 6- 844 10 

Rock with iron pyrites and sulphur 844 10- 883 1 

Blue clay mixed with some yellow clay 883 1 - 926 7 

Rock 926 7- 927 7 

Not reported 927 7 - 945 

Sand showing carbon (?), iron, gas, and soft 

yellow sulphur 945 - 951 

Mixed clay 951 - 968 7 

Mixed clay and thin layers of rock 968 7-1, 007 11 

White sand 1, 007 11 - 1, 009 11 

Brown, yellow, and red clay; some soft rock.. 1,009 11-1,053 7 
Same clay with 5 feet of soft white shale 

and gas 1, 053 7 - 1, 095 11 

Yellow and blue clay with sulphur; strong 

gas pressure 1, 095 11 - 1, 135 11 

Not reported 1, 135 11 - 1, 179 10 

Yellow clay mixed with white lime gravel.. 1, 179 10 - 1, 221 10 

Soft sand rock; gas-bearing and very- porous. . 1, 221 10 - 1, 264 1 
Yellow, red, and blue clay mixed with 

white soft gravel 1, 264 1 - 1, 416 2 

Small white gravel and gas 1, 416 2-1, 457 5 

1, 457 5 - 1, 500 4 

572. Section of Houston, East & West Texas Railway Co.'s well at Humble, Tex. 

Feet. 

Soil 0-3 

Lissie gravel : 

Yellow clay 3 - 18 

Fine sand 18 -78 

Coarse sand and gravel 78 -108 

Blue clay 108 -150 

"Close " sand 150 -305 

Blue clay 305 —155 

Sand 455 -485 

Blue clay 485 -563 

Dewitt formation: 

Rock 563 -566 

Sand 566 -571 

Rock : 571 -575 

Sand and clay 575 -583 

Blue clay 583 -612. 5 

Rock . . . . 612. 5- 

HARRISON COUNTY. 
GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The Wilcox formation underlies all of Harrison County. Remnants 
of the Mount Selman formation in the form of iron ore cap some of the 
divides, but need never be expected to yield flowing wells. (See 
PI. VIII, in pocket.) The Nacatoch reservoir underlies the county, 
but its water would probably be too salty for use. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



241 



The sands of the Wilcox formation, which are nearly horizontal, 
constitute the only reservoir of potable water. Wells can be com- 
pleted in them from 100 feet above to 500 feet below sea level. 

A series of flowing wells in a valley 4 miles north of Marshall at the 
pumping station are supplied by sands lying 60 feet, 250 feet, and 347 
feet below the surface. The 60-foot sand is a part of the Queen City 
sand member of the Wilcox and yields water remarkably free from 
mineral matter. (See analysis, well No. 582, table facing p. 110.) 
A flow has also been obtained near Woodlawn in the Cypress Bayou 
bottoms from a sand 210 feet below the surface. 

At Marshall Wilcox water is used in boilers with satisfactory results. 
Most of the water from this reservoir in this county will be potable. 

At present there is little demand in Harrison County for artesian 
water. The development of the fruit and trucking industry, however, 
should increase the demand, and the waters will then be available in 
abundance. Water from the Queen City member would be well 
adapted for irrigation. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Harrison County are given in the following table: 

Wells and springs in Harrison County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Survey, headright, 
or street. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


577 


Marshall, 6 miles 

west. 
Marshall, 3 miles 

northeast. 
...do 




C J. Randall 




C J. Randall. 


578 




do 




Engineer of the 
waterworks. 
Do. 


579 




do 




580 


...do... 


City 


do 




Do. 


581 


...do... 




do 


City 


Do. 


58? 


...do 




do 




Do. 


583 


...do... 




do 


City 


Do. 


584 


...do... 




do 




Do. 


587 


Hallsville, 1 mile 

south-west. 
Hallsville, £ mile . . 




J. M. Nelson 




L. M. KuykendaU. 
W. H. Shuford. 


588 




W. H. Shuford. . . . 




589 


Waskom, 300 yards 
southwest of 
post oflice. 

Marshall 




C M. Abney 

Arkansas & Texas 
Ice & Coal Co. 

W. J. Rosebor- 

ough, sr. 
do 


C M. Abney 




590 




E. L. Wells, man- 


591 


Marshall, 9 miles 

south of. 
do 


H. C Lewis head- 
right. 




ager, a 
William Kennedy . & 


59? 




W. J. Rosebor- 


593 


do 




do 




ough, sr.o 
Do. a 


594 


Marshall, 16 miles 

from. 
Marshall 




Montvale Springs. 




William Kennedy, c 


595 




E. Sutphin 




R. T. Hill.d 


596 


do 




Marshall Car 

Works. 
Hunter & McCor- 

mick. 




A. Deussen. 


.197 


Marshall, 6 miles 
north. 


L. Watkins sur- 
vey, center of 
south line. 




Joe Lake. 









a Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas: 
Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1906, p. 230. 

b Dumble, E. T., Kennedv, William, et al., Reports on the iron-ore district of east Texas: Second Ann. 
Rept. Geol. Survey Texas (i890), 1891, p. 158. 

c Durable, E. T., Kennedy, William, et al., op. cit., p. 159. 

d Hill, R. T., Geography and geology of the Black and Grand prairies, Tex., with detailed descriptions 
of the Cretaceous formations and special reference to artesian waters: Twenty-first Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. 
Survey, pt. 7, 1901, p. 414. 



14926°— wsp 335—14- 



-16 



242 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 





Wells 


and springs in Harrison County, 


Tex- 


-Continued. 






No. 


Location. 


Survey, headright, 
or street. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Author it)'. 


598 


Kanr.uk, 1 mile 
west. 

Karnack, 1J miles 

west. 
Woodlawn, 2 \ 

miles northwest. 


W. R. D. Ward 
headright, north- 
east part. 


Adkin 

F. M. I 

Caddo 
Co. 


Bros 




Joe Lake. 


599 


English 




F. M. English. 
A. Deussen. 


600 


T. W. Clark head- 
right, southeast 
corner. 


Gas & Oil 


E. A 


Dyar 


No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


577 


Inches. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Galls. 


Galls. 


578 


10 


367 
394 
23f 
347 
60. 
61C 
357 




±250.. 

±250.. 
±250.. 
±250.. 
±250.. 
±250.. 
±250.. 




60 to 367 


No flow . 






579 


10 






60 to 394 


.do 






580 


6 






60 to 236. . . 


..do 






581 


6 






60 to 347. . . 








58? 








60 


Flow 






583 


10 






60 to 253 


—8... 






584 


10 







60 to 357 


-8... 






587 














2. 


588 


















2* 






no to 30 






} 


5S9 


142 
208 




\140 


-50 










590 


reotoioo 




150*. . 
50 6... 












\150 to 180 . 








591 










59? 


4 


20C 

45C 








—75... 






593 


6-4 







150(?)350. 










594 

















595 




"iji" 


00 






No flow 






596 


















597 
















598 




1,0 


20 












509 
















600 


10 






210 


+5 







No. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


577 


Mount Selman 


Iron c 


Local resort known as Hynson Springs; tempera- 


578 


Wilcox 




ture of water, 56° F. 
Cased 60 feet. Two wells. 


579 


do 




Cased 60 feet; shallow water bed will flow. 


580 


do 




Cased 60 feet. 


581 


do 




Cased 60 feet; no flow. 


5*5? 


...do 


(c) 


21 wells. 


583 


...do 


(c) 


Cased 70 feet. 


584 


...do 




Cased 60 feet. 


5S7 




Soft 


Spring. 
Do. 


588 




Sulphur 


589 


Mount Selman and Wilcox. . 
Wilcox 


Hard 


Used in boilers. Completed, 1894. 


5°0 




3 wells: temperature of water, 68° F. 


5°1 




Iron c 


Springs. 


509 


Wilcox 


Slightly salty 


593 


..do 


Test well for oil; incomplete. 


594 






Loral resort, springs. 


595 






Sunk about 1890. 


59fi 








597 






Gas test well; completed, 1906. 


598 






Oil test well. 


509 




Sulphur and iron.. 
Soft 


Spring. 


600 


Wilcox 


Cypress Bavou bottom; lignite at 120 feet; gas 






% 


test well; completed, 1907. 



a Without strainer. 



b With strainer. 



c For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

582. In the wells of the Marshall waterworks, 3 miles northeast of Marshall, the 
casing extends only to the water-bearing sand at 60 feet, The water from the shallow 
sand rises above the surface but that from the deeper sand does not. This is doubt- 
less due to the fact that the wells are cased only to 60 feet, and that water from the 
deeper sands is absorbed by the porous uncased strata. If the deeper wells were 
sufficiently cased they would probably flow more strongly than the shallow wells. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 243 

583. Section of deep well of the Marshall waterworks, 3 miles northeast of Marshall, Tex. 

Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Soil 0- 10 

Mount Selman formation: 

Sand and clay 1 - 12 

Red rock; yellow rock; medium hard (ferruginous 

sandstone) 12 0- 26 

Wilcox formation : 

Lignite 26 - 26 8 

Gray sand 26 8 - 44 

"Pipe" or gray clay (sand) 44 0- 67 

Lignite 67 

Soft dark-brown clay 75 

Lignite 75 0- 80 

Clay 80 0- 84 

Lignite : 84 0- 92 

White clay 92 0-100 

Hard rock (sandstone) 100 0-100 6 

Gray clay 100 6-112 

Gray sand 112 0-116 

Lignite 116 0-116 6 

Gray clay 116 6-121 

Hard rock (sandstone) 121 0-124 

Grayclay 124 0-130 

Lignite 130 0-131 6 

Gray sand 131 6-159 

Hard rock 159 0-159 6 

Sand and clay 159 6-172 

Lignite 172 0-174 6 

Sand and gray clay 174 6-190 

Lignite 190 0-192 6 

White sand 192 6-210 

Lignite 210 0-210 6 

Gray sand 210 6-237 

Not given 237 0-238 

Rock (sandstone) 238 0-239 

Gray clay 239 0-242 

Coarse sand 242 0-249 

Lignite 249 0-253 

White sand, water bearing 253 - 257 

Lignite 257 0-257 6 

Gray sand 257 6-275 

Lignite 275 0-279 6 

Gray clay and sand 279 6-290 

Rock (sandstone) 290 0-290 6 

Gray sand 290 6-310 

Thin layer of clay and lignite 310 0-320 

Grayclay 320 0-330 

Lignite 330 0-332 

Sand and clay 332 0-333 

"Shellyrock" 333 0-366 

Sharp sand 366 0-367 

Soft gray sandrock 367 0-418 

Hard rock (sandstone) 418 0-419 



244 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wilcox formation — Continued. Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Soft gray rock 410 0-505 

Hard rock (2 inches of clay in the middle) 505 - 507 

Hard rock 507 0-507 (> 

Sand rock 507 G - 510 

Hard rock 510 0-510 8 

Sand and clay 510 8-525 

Hard rock 525 0-526 

Pipeclay 526 0-548 

Hard rock 548 0-549 

Gray sand 549 0-577 

Pipe clay 577 0-583 

Lignite 583 0-584 

Gray sandrock 584 - 595 

Lignite, clay, and sand 595 0-610 

590. Mr. E. L. Wells, manager, reports: "The ice company has three wells about 
15 feet from one another. Two are finished with 30-foot Cook well strainers with 
very fine slots, and one with a 20-foot strainer. A 4-inch pipe with a 7.25-inch drill 
was used in boring the wells. The first well was tested with a 4-inch boring pipe and 
air, and yielded 3 barrels per minute. The well was then cased with a 6-inch pipe, 
including strainer, and yield was only 1 barrel per minute. It is probable that this 
was due to the strainer, but may have been partly caused by the fact that the 4-inch 
pipe was drawing water from the water-bearing strata between 60 to 100 and 150 to 180, 
while the 6-inch pipe was big enough to fill the hole and case off the upper stratum." 

Section of Arkansas & Texas Consolidated Ice & Coal Co.'s well at Marshall, Tex. 

[Bv E. L. Wells.] 

Feet. 

Dirt and clay 0- 60 

Wilcox formation : 

Water-bearing sand 60-100 

Clay. ...,. 100-150 

Water-bearing sand 150-180 

Rock 180-181 

Clay 181-208 

Rock (sandstone) 208 

593. Partial section of irell of W. J. Roseborough, sr., 9 miles south of Marshall. Tex. 

Wilcox formation : Feet. 

Lignite 20-25 

Water-bearing sand 

Lignite 200-225 

Water-bearing sand 350 

HENDERSON COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The western corner of Henderson County lies in the Cretaceous 
area and is therefore not included in the scope of this paper. To the 
east lies a north-south belt of marls and limestones belonging to the 
Midway formation, which in turn is overlain by the sands of the 
Wilcox formation, which occupy the greater portion of the county. 
The southeast corner is occupied by the Mount Selman formation. 
(See PI. I, in pocket.) 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



245 



Cretaceous rocks. — The prospects for flowing water in this county- 
are highly unfavorable. In the extreme western portion it is pos- 
sible to drive a deep well to the Woodbine sand of the Cretaceous 
and secure a flow, as has been done at Terrell and at Corsicana. 
Eastward, however, these sands are too deeply buried to be available. 
The Nacatoch sand will supply a small territory in the western end 
of the county. (See PL YII, in pocket.) 

Wilcox formation. — The sands of the Wilcox formation are capable 
of yielding abundant supplies of good water in pumping wells but 
should not be expected to yield flows except in the valleys of the 
eastern half of the county. (See PL VIII, in pocket.) In the 
central portion and in the vicinity of Athens wells can be completed 
in this reservoir from 200 feet above sea level to 100 feet below. 
The wells will deepen toward the east and in the eastern portion 
can be completed between 200 feet above sea level and 200 feet below. 

A well at Payner, supplied by a sand 310 feet below ground, is 
said to have flowed 40 feet above ground. This well is in a valley 
along a drainage course leading into Neches River. The great 
pressure reported probably finds its explanation in the elevated 
position of the main ground-water table under the high iron-ore- 
capped table-land north of Payner. (See fig. 11, p. 91.) 

Most of the water supplied by the sands of the Wilcox will be 
potable and adapted for domestic use and for steaming. 



WELL DATA. 



Details on the wells of Henderson County appear in the subjoined 

table : 

Wells and springs in Henderson County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Authority. 


Diameter 
of well. 


Depth 
of well. 


601 


Eustace, J mile east. , . 
Trinidad, 1 mile south- 
west. 
Brownsboro 


Dr. L. L. Cockrt 


ill 


Dr. 
J. H 

M.I 

Quu 

Post 
C.E 


L. L. Cockrell 




Inches. 


Feet. 


60? 


Johns 


ton heirs.. 


. Johnston 








fins 






). L. Price 








fi04 


Payner, J mile south- 
east (J. W. Burton 
League). 

Stockard 


J. L. Dickersen 




lton Morse 




8 


900. 


605 


J. B. 
Wm. 
Y. V. 


Ballard... 


master.... 




10 


100. 


606 


do 


Hughs 




Oroshv. nostmastf 


;r... 


10 


100. 


607 


do 


Earnest.. 




do.. 


10 


100. 














No. 


Depths to prin- 
cipal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 
above (+) or be- 
low (—) ground. 


Flow per 
minute. 


Source of 
supply. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


601 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Galls. 




Some sulphur . . . 
Hard 


Davis Spring. 

Spring. 

Used partly for 
/Drilled for oil 
\ Wintz. 




60? 






5 






603 




Flows 






Soft 


irrigation. 




/310 


1+40 






do 


by J. P. 


604 


\500 


Wilco 


x 




f~™ 










60n 




No flow 
do. 




...do 




606 








...do 






607 




do... 




...do 

























246 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OP 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

604.* Mr. W. 8. NorveU writes: "The well was put down as an oil-test well, and the 
water cased off with 8-inch casing. As one of the stockholders in the Caddo Oil Co. I 
worked on the well several weeks and took notes on the materials penetrated. Be- 
tween 4b and 52 feet we struck a 7-foot stratum of lignite of good quality. Between 
70 and 88 feet a stratum of " cement gravel" was met. At 310 feet we encountered an 
artesian flow, water soft, accompanied with gas. The water flowed out at the top of 
4-inch casing. 40 feet above the surface. We had to pump mud into the hole to cut 
off the gas so we could continue drilling.*' 

The company was still at work on this well in January, 1908. A rotary machine wats 
used. The town of Payner is 45 to 50 feet above the level of the well curb. 

HOUSTON COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The northern half of Houston County is occupied by the outcrop of 
the Cook Mountain formation, and the southern half by the outcrop 
of the Yegua formation. (See PL I.) Both the lower Eocene and 
the Yegua artesian reservoirs are therefore available. 

Lower Eocene. — The lower Eocene reservoir should be exploited 
over the area occupied by the Cook Mountain formation. It will 
yield abundant supplies of potable water, but the area of flow will be 
confined to the lower levels adjacent to Neches River. (See PL VIII, 
in pocket.) 

In the northern portion of the county water may be obtained from 
100 feet above sea level to 500 feet below. The reservoir deepens 
toward the south, and in the southern corner wells must go from 700 
to 1,500 feet below sea level. However, wells going over 1,200 feet 
below sea level will probably yield impotable water, and in the south- 
ern half of the county it would be better to depend on the overlying 
Yegua. 

At San Pedro the water rises within 10 feet of the surface; at Ken- 
nard within 105 feet, and at Crockett within 190 feet. Any flowing 
wells in this region will have to be driven on ground of a lower altitude 
than that of the three places mentioned. 

The water from the lower Eocene sands in the northern half of the 
county is usually potable and adapted for steaming, but at Crockett 
a sand 630 feet below the surface yields sulphurous water, and at 
Kennard "alum water" is obtained. 

Yegua formation. — The Yegua reservoir will supply wells in the 
southern half of the county, but the area of flow is confined to the 
extreme southwest portion and here to the valleys only. A well 
(No. 966) in Trinity County close to the county line, 4 miles southeast 
of Lovelady, yielded potable flows from sands in this formation at 70, 
304, and 550 feet. 

Wells drawing from the Yegua reservoir in Houston County will be 
very shallow in the central portion, but will deepen toward the south. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



247 



In the southern corner, supplies generally potable can be developed 
at depths of from 50 to 750 feet below the surface. (See PI. VII, in 
pocket.) 

WELL DATA. 

The subjoined table gives a detailed list of the wells and springs in 
Houston County: 

Wells and springs in Houston County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Authority . 


Diameter 
of well. 


Depth 
of well. 


608 


Lovelady, 5 miles south- 
east (A- Sharp survey). 

Lovelady, 6 miles south- 
east (F. Martinez 
League). 

Percilla (I. M. Percilla 
League). 

Crockett, 10 miles east 

Crockett • 

Kennard 


J. M. Thompson Lum- 
ber Co. 
George C. Newhall 

John Dickie 




Inches. 


Feet. 


609 


J. D . Freeman 






610 


John Sewell 






fill 


M. A. Thomas 


M. A. Thomas 






612 
613 


Mary Allen Seminary . . . 
Louisiana & Texas 

Lumber Co. 
4. C. Lumber Co 


J. B. Smith, president «. 
J. M. Martin, super in- 
tend ent.o 
H. C. Christian 


5-3 
3 


630 
1,065 


614 


Kennard, i mile south- 
east. 
Kennard, | mile wesi 




615 


do 






616 


Arbor, 1 mile west 

Creek, J mile northeast. . . 
Creek, 4 miles northeast. . 
San Pedro, a few yards 

from well No. 620. 
San Pedro, 300 to 400 

yards east of post office. 


Mary Lynch 


Mary Lynch 






617 


A . P . Hester 


A. P. Hester 






618 


J. W. Yarbrough 

East Texas Oil Co 

do 


J. W. Yarbrough 






6i q 


Z. D. Driskill 




1,200 


620 


Dr. T. F. Driskill 


6 


1, 500 



No. 


Approxi- 
mate ele- 
vation of 
surface. 


Depth to 
principal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 


Head 
of water 

below 
ground. 


Pumps 

per 
minute. 


Source of 
supply. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


60S 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Gallons. 




Salt 


Spring. 


609 












Some salt; sul- 
phur. 


"Boiling Spring." 


610 












Spring. 


611 












Soft 

Sulphur 

Alum 


Do. 


612 
B13 


350 


350,630.. 


190 

105 


Large . . . 
80 


Wilcox and 
Mount Sel- 
man. 

Wilcox 


The 350-foot reservoir is 
not used . 

Fossils at 800 feet. Well 


614 






Soft. . . 


no longer used. Sever- 
al water-bearing layers 
are said to have been 
cased off. 
Spring; water used for 


615 




I 
I 






Salty. 


public water supply. 
Spring. 
Spring: water locally used 

medicinally. 
Mineral sprinsrs: said to 


616 










Sulphur 

Hard... 


617 










618 














have an alum taste. 
Stock will not drink 
water. 
Spring. 


619 






12 to 14.. 








Drilled for oil bv Joe Lee. 


cm 




1S7-208, 
821-964. 


10 to 12.. 




Mount Selman 
and Wilcox. 


Soft 


Well No. 2 on Z. D. 
Driskill farm; com- 
pleted, 1904. 
Drilled for oil by Joe Lee. 
Well No. 1 on Z. D. 
Driskill farm; com- 
pleted, 1904. 













a Veatch, A. C, op. cil., p. 232. 



248 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OP 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

620. Section of East Texas Oil Co.'s well (No. 1 on Z. D. Drishill farm) at San Pedro, 

Tex. 

[Furnished by Dr. T. F. Driskill.] 

Cook Mountain formation: Feet. 

Brownish-gray clay 0- 2 

Dark -greenish gray marl with fossil shells 2 - 12 

Brown sandy shale and sand 12- 120 

Brown shale, sandy in places; fossiliferous 120 - 187 

Water-bearing sand 187 - 208 

Not given 208 - 218 

Brown clay and shale 218- 260 

Dark-brown shale, gritty and limy 260 - 300 

Greenish-brown sand and sandstone; contains rounded 

grains of quartz and glauconite 300 - 310 

Mount Selman formation : 

Hard brownish-gray sandstone 310 - 350 

Brownish sand (greensand?) and brown sandy shale. . 350- 433£ 

Lignite 433f- 434± 

Brown sandy shale (?) 434±- 486 

Brown shale 486- 492 

Greenish-brown quartz sand (greensand?) and brown 

fossiliferous shale 492 - 575 

White sand; dark-gray shale; nodules of limonite... 575 - 585 

Grayish sand ; a little gray shale and some glauconite? 585 - 709 

Stratum much like that next above 709 - 729 

Wilcox formation: 

White quartz sand; a little glauconite (?) 729 - 775 

Brownish sandstone; some brown shale; and a little 

glauconite? 775- 780 

Brownish quartz sand; some grains of glauconite (?); 

grayish brown shale 780 - 805 

Brownish and greenish-gray quartzose sand (water- 
bearing) 805- 965 

White quartz sand ; a little glauconite (?) 965 - 995 

Sand; more glauconite (?) 995-1,041 

Greenish -gray gritty shale or clay; nodules of limo- 
nite 1, 041 -1, 054 

Light-gray quartz sand ; some glauconite 1, 054 -1, 085 

Strata much like next above 1, 085 -1, 105 

Strata much like greenish-gray clay above 1, 105 -1, 110 

Strata much like greenish-gray clay above, but with 

more "glauconite " 1, 110 -1, 150 

Greenish and brown sandy shale, nodules of limonite, 

casts of shells 1,189 -1,194 

Brownish-gray quartz sand; a little "glauconite" ... 1, 194 -1, 198fc 
Brown sandstone v plates of limonite, fragments of 

shells 1, 198^-1,199 

Brownish-gray quartz sand; a little glauconite 1, 199 -1, 225 

Brown sandstone 1, 225 -1, 245 

Dark greenish-brown sand ; much glauconite 1, 245 -1, 256 

Black sandy shale and lignite 1, 256 -1, 262 

Slightly limy brown sandy shale 1, 262 -1, 270 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 249 

Wilcox formation — Continued. Feet. 

Gray limestone 1, 330 -1, 332 

Gray quartz sand ; a little glauconite 1, 360 -1, 375 

Sandy brown shale, slightly limy 1, 375 -1, 438 

Brown and gray sandstone- and shells 1, 438 -1, 450 

Gray sand ; streaks of gray sandy shale 1, 495 -1, 504 

Two logs of this well, one by E. L. Holloway and the other presumably by the 
driller, show marked discrepancy. The section above harmonizes the two as much 
as possible. 

JASPER COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The northern part of Jasper County is occupied by the outcrop of 
the Catahoula sandstone. This is embedded to the south beneath 
the outcrop of the impervious Fleming clay, which in turn disappears 
beneath the Lissie gravel. (See PI. I, in pocket.) The geologic 
structure is favorable for flowing wells and they are scattered over 
the county. 

Two artesian reservoirs are available in the county — the Cata- 
houla (see PI. VIII) in at least the northern half and the Lissie res- 
ervoir (see PI. IX, in pocket) in the southern half, where the Cata- 
houla is too deeply buried. 

Yegua formation. — On the Graham survey, in the northern portion 
of Jasper County, a well near the Graham saline produced a flow of 
salty water from a sand at 1,229 to 1,241 feet in the Yegua formation. 
The salinity of the water of this well may be due to the saline, 
which probably brings salt water from great depths, whereas the 
Yegua reservoir near by may yield fresh water. But as abundant 
good water may be obtained at less depths in the Catahoula sand- 
stone, it is not expedient to try for fresh supplies in the Yegua to 
depths exceeding 1,000 feet. Deep wells are more apt to yield flows 
and to yield much more water than shallower wells, and from the 
sanitary standpoint they are superior; but they are costly and are 
more apt to yield saline supplies, unsuitable for steaming and for 
irrigation. The choice of reservoirs, therefore, must depend on local 
conditions. The Yegua reservoir is available only in the extreme 
northern limits of the county. (See PL VII, in pocket.) 

Catahoula sandstone. — That the Catahoula sandstone will yield 
abundant potable water over nearly the entire northern half of the 
county is shown by experiments on the Conn League, 4 miles east of 
Rockland (see fig. 17, p. 347), where a flow was obtained from a sand 
at 76 feet (well No. 634); at Lewis Ferry (well No. 637); at Horger, 
where a flow (reported as slightly salty) was obtained from sands at 
189 to 192 and 219 to 220 feet; at a point 3 miles south of Jasper, where 
a flow was obtained at 275 feet; and at Kirbyville, where a strong 
flow of potable water was obtained at 1,312 to 1,346 feet. The area 



250 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



of flow in the northern part of the county is confined to the valleys, 
but widens to the south. 

Marine Miocene. — The marine Miocene beds, which derive their 
water from the overlying water-logged sands of the Lissie gravel, 
doubtless supply the flowing wells in the southern half of Jasper 
County. The sands that supply the flowing wells near Wiess Bluff 
(Xos. 622 to 624), depths 1,060 and 1,100 feet, are probably Miocene. 
In this area the marine Miocene sands present favorable probabilities 
to depths not exceeding 1,200 feet. They thin rapidly toward the 
north (see section B-B', PL I), and the depths to which they may be 
exploited decrease in the same direction. North of Call Junction 
they are absent. 

Lissie gravel. — In the southern half of the county the Lissie gravel 
will probably yield flows in the Xeches River bottoms. At best, 
however, these sands are not over 500 or 600 feet thick on the southern 
county line, and they decrease in thickness toward the north. Wells 
over 600 feet deep in this region will not draw from them. 

WELL DATA. 

Data on the wells of Jasper County appear in the following table: 

Wells and springs in Jasper County, Tex. 



No. 



621 
622 
623 

624 

625 

626 
627 

628 

629 

630 

631 

632 

633 
634 
635 

636 

637 



Location. 



Horger, 2 J miles 

northeast. 
Wiess Bluff, 2 miles 

north. 
Wiess Bluff, lo- 
cated near well 

Xo. 622. 
Wiess Bluff , 4 miles 

northeast. 
Remlig, 200 yards 

east of post office. 

Kirbyville 

Kirby ville,l£ miles 

east. 

Browndel, 2 miles 

northeast. 
Jasper, 3 miles 

south. 
Jasper. 14 miles 

northwest. 
Rockland, 8 miles 

cast-northeast. 
Rockland, 4 miles 

east. 

do 

do 

Rockland, 2 miles 

north. 

do 



Lewis Ferry, 2 
miles west." 



Survey, headlight, 
or street. 



J. A. Bohler sur- 
vey. 



Houston & Texas 
Central R. R. 
survey No. 6. 



JosephConnLeague 
do 



....do 

do 

J. H. Graham sur- 
vey, near south 
line. 

J. B. Pate survey, 
near northwest 
corner. 

M. Walker survev. 



Owner. 



J. A. Bohler 

Wiess & Sanders . 
do 



.do. 



Alexander Gilmer 
Lumber Co. 



Kirbvville Oil Co. 



Driller. 



Hende r s o n & 

Cross. 
L. B. Jenson 



Jake Giles. 



H. B. Falls.... 

Seale farm 

Radium Oil Co. 



Kountze Bros. 



.do. 



H. Ralph. 



W. T. Arnett. 



Andrew Williams 



Guffey Oil Co. 



Authority. 



J. A. Bohler. 
J. W. Sanders. 
Do. 

Do. 

Max D. Almond . 

T. U. Tavlor.o 
W. T. Arnett. 

Ben Powell. 
Prof. F. C. Thiele.b 
Radium Oil Co.<* 
J. P. Mettauer. 
A. Deussen. 



Do. 
J. P. Mettauer. 
E. T. Dumble. 



Do. 

H. Ralph. 



a Taylor, T. TJ., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, pp. 49-50. 

h Fenneman, N. M., Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 
it',,]). 73. 

c Fuller, M. L., and Sanford, Samuel, Record of deep-well drilling for 1905: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 
298, 1906, p. 162. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 

Wells and springs in Jasper County, Tex. — Continued. 



251 



No. 



621 



622 

623 
624 



625 

626 

627 

628 

629 

630 
631 
632 
633 
634 

635 
636 

637 



Diameter of 
well. 



Inches. 



12 to 4. 
S 



10. 



Depth of well. 



Feet. 



1,400. 

1,211. 

1,070. 

1,084. 

1,320. 



227.. 
1,495. 



1,471. 

1,520. 
1,200. 



76.... 
1,243. 

2,007. 
2,300. 



Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 



Feet. 



±350. 



±150. 



Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 



Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 



Feet. 

15 to 20 

182 to 192 

219 to 220 

462 to 473 

'560± 

1,048 to 1,062 

1,114 to 1,211 

1,060 

990 to 1,012 

1,037 to 1,077.... 
1,193 to 1,223.... 
1,251 to 1,262. . . . 
1,268 to 1,285.... 
[1,290 to 1,320.... 

82 to 212 

(300 to 332 

{538 to 678 

U,312 to 1,346a... 



f40 to 60.., 

1.275 

720 to 730. 



76 

65 to 85 

1,229 to 1,241 a. 
55 to 60 

107 to 140 

60 to 80 

650 to 800 

2,220 to 2,277.. 



Feet. 
No flow. . 
-15 

Flowed . . 

do... 

+30 

+10(?).. 
+12...... 



+10. 



-22. 



No flow. 
....do.. 

Flows. . . 
+25 



No flow 
Flow... 



Flows. 



Flows.. 
Flowed . 



No flow. 
+22 



Yield per 
minute. 



Pump. Flow. 



Galls. 



Many. 



Galls. 



Many. 

165. 

80. 

85. 



200. 
6. 



Small. 



No. 


Source of supply. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 




f Catahoula 


Fresh 




6?1 


....do 

....do 


?a 

Brackish 


Cattle drink this water; well drilled for oil; 




...do 


do 


temperature 65° F.; completed, 1903. 




....do 


? 




6?? 


Marine Miocene (?) 


Sulphur 


Used for stock and for truck irrigation; com- 


623 
6?4 


do.(?) 

...do. (?) 


do 

...do 


pleted, 1905 (No. 1). 
Well No. 3. 
Used partlv for truck irrigation; completed, 1904 

(No. 2). " 
Used in boilers; combined vield from first and 


6*>5 


Cook Mountain, Mount Sel- 

man, and Wilcox. 
Lissie 


(a) 


6?6 


Good 


last sands pumps 60 gallons a minute. 




f....do 


[Potablea 




6?7 


J ...do 


Drilled for oil; two wells; completed, Jan. 12, 1907. 




[Catahoula 


Iron and sulphur. . 
| 


6?8 




Spring. 




j Lissie 


629 


\Catahoula (?) 


Oil test well. 




/ 




630 


do.(?) , 


Oil test well; completed, 1905. 


631 




Soft... 


Oil test well (near Tar well); completed, 1903. 


63? 




Salty o.., 


Sprin? at old salt works. 


633 




Brine 


Old salt works; known as Doom's saline. 


<m 


Catahoula 


Soft 


Tar well; drilled in 1866; not in xise. 




f....do 


jsaltya 


/Drilled for oil near the Graham saline: abandoned. 
\ (Well No. 6 on fisr. 17, p. 347.) 
On a hill. (Well No. 5 on fig. 17, p. 347.) 


635 




636 


Catahoula 


Potable 




f....do 


(?^ 


1 


637 


^. ...do... 


(?) 


[■Drilled for oil; abandoned; completed, 1904 (?). 




1 Wilcox 


Slight Iv saltv 


1 









a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



252 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

621. Section of well on the J. A. Bohler survey, 2\ miles northeast of Horger, Tex. 

[Supplied by R. W. Henderson, of Cleveland, Ohio.] 

Catahoula sandstone: Feet. 

Red clay 0- 15 

Fine white sand (water bearing; fresh) 15- 20 

Soft white "limestone " ("gypsum or chalk ") 20- 62 

Green shale 62- 65 

Mixed streaks of sandstone and "limestone " 65- 86 

Shale 86- 88 

Hard sandstone 88- 92 

Soft sandstone 92- 104 

Greenish shale 104- 128 

Whitesand 128- 131 

"Limestone" 131- 140 

Green shale 140- 144 

Green shale with "limestone" interbedded 144- 176 

Tough blue clay 176- 182 

"Limestone;" water-bearing; (cased and baled, but 
could not lower water over 40 feet; water rose to 15 

feet of surface; baled before casing was set) 182- 192 

Fine-grained rock (quartzitic sandstone; of great grind- 
ing power; could not penetrate with rotary) 192- 195 

Greenshale 195- 219 

White sand (artesian flow and some gas; water brackish) . 219- 220 

Green and blue shale with streaks of "limestone" 220- 306 

Fine gray sand 306- 312 

Blueclay 312- 321 

Blue shale 321- 326 

Shale and sand in streaks 326- 335 

Gray sand (bad odor) 335- 345 

Blue shale 345- 348 

Fine gray sand 348- 360 

Sand and shale 360- 365 

"Limestone;" soft 365- 380 

Blue clay and shale 380- 389 

White sand, fine grained 389- 415 

Blue clay and shale 415- 425 

"Limestone" 425- 435 

Blueshale 435- 450 

"Limestone" 450- 462 

Fine white sand with good artesian flow ; water brackish . 462- 473 

Blueshale 473- 483 

Limestone with sheets of sand 483- 509 

Fine white sand 509- 524 

Soft sandstone 524- 529 

Catahoula sandstone and Jackson formation : 

Sand and soft shales; strong artesian flow at about 660 
feet; water rose 30 feet above surface as casing was 

pulled 529- 991 

Soft rock 991- 992 

Sand 992- 993? 

Jackson and Yegua formations: 

Soft bluish shale; caved considerably 993?-l, 400 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 253 

"Set 8-inch casing at 365 feet; always had fair artesian flow of brackish water. " 
J. S. Bean, postmaster at Horger, writes: " This well was bored for oil by the Cleve- 
land & East Texas Oil Co., of Cleveland, Ohio, They found very little oil. The well 
is out in the piney woods where it is useless, save to water range stock. They are very 
fond of the water * * *. There is a strong flow of gas from this well , enough to ignite 
and burn over the well. " 

622. Section of Wiess & Sanders well No. 1, 2 miles north of Wiess Bluff, Tex. 

[Supplied by J. W. Sanders.] 

Feet. 

Fine sandy loam 0- 2 

Red clay 2- 25 

Liesie gravel and marine Miocene beds : 

White sand 25- 75 

Yellow clay 75- 96 

Fine blue sand - 96- 129 

Yellow clay 129- 156 

Whitesand 156- 173 

Yellow clay 173- 225 

Fine blue sand 225- 252 

Hard yellow clay 252- 386 

Whitesand 386- 476 

Blue clay 476- 557 

Blue sand 557- 579 

Hard blue clay 579- 589 

Coarse white sand 589- 638 

Blue clay 638- 656 

Fine blue clay 656- 686 

Hard blue clay 686- 705 

Coarse white sand 705- 760 

Hard blue clay 760- 769 

Soft blue clay 769- 794 

Whitesand 794- 804 

Hard blue clay 804- 824 

Fragmentary sandstone 824- 828 

Hard blue clay 828- 910 

Rotten sandstone 910- 916 

Blue clay 916- 923 

Whitesand 923- 945 

Hard blue clay 945-1, 012 

Coarse white sand 1, 012-1, 031 

Fine gravel 1, 031-1, 048 

Coarse gravel (water bearing) 1, 048-1, 062 

White sand 1, 062-1, 096 

Blue clay 1,096-1,114 

White sand (water bearing) 1, 114-1, 211 

624. Section of Wiess <Sc Sanders well No. 2, 4 miles northeast of Wiess Bluff, Tex. 

~ Feet. 

Fine sandy loam 0- 2 

Yellow clay 2- 6 

Yellow sand 6- 18 

Gray clay 18- 27 



254 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Lifisie gravel and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

White sand 27- 50 

Yellow clay 50- 83 

Fine blue sand 83- 117 

Blue clay 117- 152 

White sand 152- 173 

Blue clay 173- 234 

Fine blue sand 234- 264 

Blue clay 264- 295 

Fine blue sand 295- 356 

Gray clay 356- 426 

White sand 426- 520 

Blue clay 520- 583 

Fine blue sand 583- 620 

Blue hard clay 620- 631 

Coarse white sand 631- 684 

Blueclay 684- 697 

Fine blue sand 697- 718 

Soft stone 718- 756 

Hard blue clay 756- 768 

Coarse white sand, loses water rapidly 768- 799 

Hard blue clay 799- 853 

Unable to tell the strata, drills like oil strata 853- 868 

Hard blue clay 868- 936 

Fine blue clay 936- 949 

Hard blue clay 949- 990 

White sand, water bearing 990-1, 012 

Blue and green clay 1, 012-1, 039 

Hard blue clay 1, 039- 

625. Section of Alexander Gilmer Lumber Co.'s well at Remlig, Tex. 

[Furnished by the company.] 

Feet. 

Soil 0- 4 

Clay 4- 18 

Sand 18- 20 

Blue gumbo and shale 20- 382 

Rock 382- 384 

Blue gumbo and shale 384- 460 

Rock 460- 461 

Blue gumbo and shale 461- 511 

Rock 511- 513 

Blue gumbo and shale 513- 565 

Sand 565- 573 

Blue gumbo and shale 573- 603 

Rock 603- 604 

Blue gumbo and shale 604- 610 

Rock 610- 613 

Blue gumbo and shale 613- 885 

Close blue sand 885- 925 

Blue gumbo and shale 925-1, 037 

Blue water sand (strainer) 1, 037-1, 077 

Gumbo and shale 1, 077-1, 087 

Rock 1, 087-1, 089 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIX. 255 

Feet. 

Brown shale and gumbo 1, 089-1, 123 

Rock 1, 123-1, 125 

Brown shale and gumbo 1, 125-1, 182 

Rock 1, 182-1, 183 

1 ' Coal " (lignite) 1, 183-1, 187 

Brown shale and gumbo 1, 187-1, 193 

Blue water sand 1, 193-1, 223 

Brown shale and gumbo 1, 223-1, 251 

Blue water sand 1, 251-1, 262 

"Coal" (lignite) ------ 1,262-1,265 

Rock 1, 265-1, 268 

Blue water sand 1, 268-1, 285 

Brown shale and gumbo 1, 285-1, 290 

Blue water sand (strainer) 1, 290-1, 320 

Casing used, 1,087 feet of 8-inch and 233 feet of 6-inch; strainers at 1,037 to 1,077 
and 1,290 to 1,320 feet. 

The formations penetrated represent the Catahoula, Jackson, Yegua, Cook Moun- 
tain, and probably Mount Selman and "Wilcox. 

626. Section of well at Kirbyville, Tex. 

Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Yellow clay 0- 17 

Yellow sand 17- 34 

Coarse white sand 34— 54 

Sand and gravel 54- 82 

Water sand 82-212 

Blue clay 212-227 

627. Section of Kirbyville Oil Co.'s well No. 1, on the Houston & Texas Central Rail- 
road survey No. 6, 1\ miles east of Kirbyville, Tex. 

[Furnished by Mr. W. T. Arnett, driller.] 

Feet. 

Red and white joint clay 1- 47 

Blue sand 47- 199 

Sulphur and shale 199- 247 

Soapstone rock 247- 248 

Gray sand 248- 277 

Sand and shale; oil seepage . - 277- 299 

Soapstone rock 299- 300 

Water sand 300- 332 

Gumbo 332- 337 

Blue hard rock 337- 338 

Blue and brown shale 338- 445 

Blue sand 445- 495 

Soapstone rock 495- 497 

Hard blue shale - 497- 535 

Blue marl 535- 538 

Water sand ; artesian flow 538- 678 

Gumbo 678- 696 

Hard blue rock (sandstone) 696- 697 

Blue and brown shale; oil signs 697- 770 

Blue marl; set 6-inch casing at 786 feet 770- 786 

Blue marl 786- 788 



256 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Feet. 

Hani, blue rock (sandstone) 788- 790 

Sand ; oil seepage 790- 799 

Blue soapstone rock 799- 802 

Blue and yellow shale 802-1, 269 

Gumbo; set 4-inch casing at 1,303 feet 1, 269-1, 303 

Gumbo 1, 303-1, 312 

Mineral water sand ; artesian flow 1, 312-1, 346 

Gumbo 1, 346-1, 352 

Blue shale 1, 352-1, 363 

Blue gumbo 1, 363-1, 382 

Blue and purple shale 1, 382-1, 495 

The formations penetrated represent the Lissie, Dewitt?. Fleming, and Catahoula. 

629. Section of Seale farm well, 8 miles south of Jasper, Tex. 

[Taken by Prof. F. C. Thiele, of Beaumont.] 

Feet. 

Sand 0- 40 

Water sand 40- 60 

Sand and sandrock 60- 150 

Blue clay and sand; at 275 feet, artesian water and gas; at 

250 feet, oil showing 150- 410 

Limerock 410- 420 

Blue clay 420- 520 

Limerock 520- 525 

Gumbo and sand 525- 675 

Limerock 675- 681 

Gumbo 681- 704 

Sand ; oil showing 704- 727 

Limerock 727- 730 

Gumbo and shale 730- 758 

Dolomitic rock, pyrites, quartz, sand; oil showing 758- 767 

Dolomitic rock, pyrites, quartz, sand, yellow clay; oil 

showing 767- 786 

Quicksand, dolomitic rock, gumbo 786- 808 

Gumbo, shale, gravel, dolomitic rock, quicksand, iron 

pyrites; oil showing 808- 832 

Dolomitic rock, quicksand, yellow clay, lignite (?); slight 

oil showing 832- 853 

Hard gray clay, calcareous concretions, limerock, pyrites... 853- 930 
Fine quicksand, concretions, much fine pyrites; splendid 

oil showing 930- 941 

Shale, fine quartz sand, dolomitic rock, iron oxide, calcite. 941-1,020 
Fine white sand, pyrites, shale, large amount of limerock. . 1, 020-1, 060 

Fine white sand, pyrites, shale, some limerock 1, 060-1, 070 

Shale, variegated pebbles, chips of flint rock, limerock, 

and plenty of pyrites .- 1, 070-1, 072 

Extremely fine gray sand, shell fragments, very fine white 
quartz, black carbonaceous matter, some clay and lime- 
stone ; oil showing very good 1, 072-1, 095 

Fine gray sand, lime concretions, some white quartz, black 

carbonaceous particles, considerable iron oxide 1, 095-1, 116 

Fine gray sand, lime concretions, white quartz, black car- 
bonaceous matter, magnetic iron oxide in abundance; 
oil showing good 1, 116-1, 128 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 257 

Feet. 

Sandrock; white quartz 1, 128-1, 170 

Sandrock; gas and oil showing 1, 170-1, 190 

Fine gray sand, carbonaceous particles, magnetic iron oxide. 1, 190-1, 270 
Bluish -gray clay, very fine sand, black particles, magnetic 

iron, quartz 1, 270-1, 320 

Very hard blue shale 1, 320-1, 471 

The formations penetrated represent the Lissie, Fleming, Catahoula, and Jackson. 

630. 1 Section of Radium Oil Co. well, 14 miles northwest of Jasper, Tex. 

Feet. 

Soft blue (or dark gray) shale and limestone 100- 200 

Hard blue shale with sandstone to 250 feet, containing py- 
rites below 200- 300 

Soft blue shale with limestone 300- 720 

Sand ; water-bearing 720- 730 

Soft blue gumbo 730- 935 

Soft blue gumbo (dark sandy clay) containing lignite 935- 945 

Soft, very sticky gumbo 945-1, 250 

Soft blue shale ,1, 250-1, 300 

Hard blue rock, described as a kind of sandstone with sea 

shells 1, 300-1, 375 

Soft blue shale 1, 375-1, 520 

Rig used, rotary. Casing used, 63 feet of 12-inch, 683 feet of 8-inch. Not a show 
of oil. 

The formations penetrated represent the Catahoula, Jackson, Yegua, and Cook 
Mountain. 

635. Section of Kounize Bros, well No. 6, near the south line of the J. H. Graham surrey, 

near Rockland, Tex. 

[Furnished bv E. T. Dumble.] 

Feet. 

Red clay sand 0- 65 

Catahoula sandstone : 

Dark-gray loose sand, artesian flow, salt 65- 85 

Dark-gray sandrock 85- 105 

Blue gumbo and shale 105- 175 

Blue gumbo 175- 263 

Green shale 263- 275 

Blue gumbo 275- 300 

Green shale 300- 490 

Green marl (bowlder") 490- 535 

Green marl 535- 615 

Dark-blue sand 615- 630 

Dark-gray sand 630- 655 

Jackson formation : 

Dark-gray shale 655- 672 

Green shale 672- 692 

Green shale with shell 692- 765 

Yegua formation : 

Dark-gray sand ; good oil show 765- 784 

Green marl 784- 800 

« Fuller, M. L., and Sanford, Samuel, Bull. D. S. Geol. Survey No. 298, 1906, p. 278. 
14926°— wsp 335—14 17 



258 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Yegua formation — Continued. Feet. 

Green shale with hard streaks 800- 835 

Green marl with shell 835- 980 

Green marl with rock 980-1, 118 

Sandrock 1, 118-1, 120 

Green marl 1, 120-1, 200 

Dark-brown shale 1, 200-1, 208 

Green marl 1, 208-1, 229 

Loose and gray sand; oil; artesian flow salt water 1, 229-1, 241 

Green shale 1, 241-1, 245 

636. Section of Kountze Bros, well No. 5, on the J. B. Pate surcey, near Rockland, Tex 

[Furnished by E. T. Dunible.] 

Feet. 

Surface clay 0- 15 

Green shale 15- 55 

Catahoula, Jackson, Yegua, Cook Mountain, and Mount 

Selman (?) formations: 

White water sand 55- 60 

Hard dark-gray sand 60- 86 

Green shale 86- 107 

Dark-gray water sand 107- 140 

Green shale 140- 405 

Blue gumbo 405- 485 

Green shale 485- 570 

Dark green sandstone 570- 573 

Green shale 573- 660 

Green shale with shells 660- 817 

Dark-gray rock 817- 820 

Green shale 820-1, 115 

Green shale with shell 1, 115-1, 143 

White sandrock 1, 143-1, 165 

Green shale 1, 165-1. 502 

Dark-gray sand 1, 502-1, 505 

Green shale and shells 1, 505-1, 620 

Dark -green shale and sand 1, 620-1, 635 

Green shale 1, 635-2, 007 

637. Section of Ralph well No. 1. on the M. Walker headright, 2 miles west of Lewis 

Ferry, Jasper County, Tex. 

[Furnished by the J. M. Gufley Petroleum Co.] 

Feet. 

Clay 0- 20 

Catahoula, Jackson, Yegua. Cook Mountain, Mount Selman. 
and Wilcox formations: 

Sand 20- 45 

Gravel 45- 60 

Sand and water flow 60- 80 

Soapstone 80- 140 

Sand 140- 160 

Rock 160- 180 

Gumbo 180- 200 

Sand 200- 220 

Gumbo 220- 240 

Sand 240- 350 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 259 

Catahoula, Jackson, Yegua, Cook Mountain, Mount Selman, 

and "Wilcox formations — Continued. Feel. 

Gumbo and gravel 350- 400 

Shale 400- 420 

Sand and gravel 420- 460 

Gumbo 460- 540 

Shale 540- 650 

Sand, gravel, water flow; little gas 650- 800 

Soapstone 800- 850 

Sand 850- 940 

Gumbo 940-1, 000 

Loose shale 1, 000-1, 150 

Gumbo 1, 150-1, 500 

Sand and gravel 1, 500-1, 550 

Gumbo, gravel, and bowlders 1, 550-1, 715 

Rock 1, 715-1, 720 

Gumbo 1, 720-1, 760 

Rock 1, 760-1, 770 

Gumbo 1, 770-2, 000 

Sand 2, 000-2, 040 

Coarse gravel and shale 2, 040-2, 100 

Soft rock and gravel 2, 100-2, 230 

Hard gravel and water sand 2, 230-2, 277 

The reported presence of numerous gravel beds in this section is in marked con- 
trast with their absence in other wells in the immediate vicinity, and the accuracy 
of the section is questionable. 

JEFFERSON COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The Beaumont clay outcrops in the greater part of Jefferson County, 
but toward the coast is overlain by sands and clays of Recent origin. 
Beneath the Beaumont clay lies the Lissie gravel which dips about 
35 feet to the mile. (See PI. I, in pocket.) 

Marine Miocene. — The marine Miocene beds will produce flows in 
Jefferson County wherever tapped, but the water will nearly always be 
salty. 

Lissie gravel. — The sand and gravels of the Lissie supply most of the 
wells of Jefferson County. They will yield flows over all the area, and 
if not entered at too great depth or too near the coast or in too close 
proximity to a dome they will supply water suitable for domestic 
use, steaming, and irrigation. (See PI. VII, in pocket.) 

At Hampshire a sand at 207 to 250 feet below the surface (well No. 
673) supplies a flowing well used for rice irrigation. At Fannett sands 
at 600 feet (well No. 680a) yield water described as slightly sulphur- 
ous. At Stowell, near the coast, the water is potable in sands at 120, 
210, and 260 feet, but nonpotable and unfit for use at 580 feet. At 
Nome water suitable for use in locomotive boilers comes from 642 to 
692 feet. At Beaumont water suitable for drinking can be found as 
far down as 630 to 650 feet, but salt water is found in a sand at 1,150 



260 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



feet (well No. 661). At Spindletop and in the surrounding regions 
artesian flows are encountered at various depths. Within the limits 
of the producing oil field a zone of fresh water is encountered at 
depths varying from 140 to 360 feet. (See lig. 16.) Beneath this 
fresh-water zone all the water is too salty for use. The salt water 
is sealed off from the upper fresh-water zone by impervious clay. 

In the regions surrounding the oil field, the waters are fresh to much 
greater depths. Thus in the AUyne well (No. 651) a fresh flow was 



FEET 
0- 



Z 
</> 

c 
w 
op 

X 



z 

in 
c 

'-Q0 
•00 

i 



500- 



1000- 



1500- 



2000 -J 



2K2 



I I 



Sea level 



'A 



Vz 



3 A 



I Mile 

J 



Water-bearing 
sand; fresh water 



Water-bearing 
sand;salt water 



Figure 16. — Section showing the water-bearing sands in the Spindletop wells. 

struck at a depth of 850 to 882 feet. Doubtless the Spindletop water 
has risen from lower levels. 

At Sabine, on the coast, the water is salty in all sands encountered. 
Sands occur at 60 to 175 feet, at 452 to 498, and at 1 ,035 to 1,065 feet. 

Flows from the Lissie gravel and Beaumont clay may therefore 
be expected over all Jefferson County. In a strip along the coast 8 
or 10 miles wide salt water may be expected at all depths. Under the 
mounds (Spindletop and Big Hill are the only mounds in the county 
thus far known) (see fig. 6, p. 85), salty and impotable waters may be 
looked for at 100 to 300 feet. In the remainder of the county the 
sands can be safely exploited to depths not exceeding 600 feet south 
of Beaumont and not exceeding 1,100 feet north of Beaumont, the 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



261 



depth to salt water always decreasing coastward. At Beaumont 
potable supplies will be available at depths not exceeding 500 to 600 
feet. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of the wells of Jefferson County appear in the following 

table : 

Wells and springs in Jefferson County, Tex. 



638 
639 
640 
641 

642 

643 
644 
645 
646 

647 
648 

649 

650 

651 

652 

6.53 



654 
655 
656 

657 
658 
659 

660 

661 
662 



Location. 



Spindletop 

Spindletop, north. 

Spindletop, north- 
west. 

Spindletop, north- 
east, on Smith 
Island in Neches 
River. 

Spindletop 



....do , 

Spindletop, near.. 

do 

Spindletop. 



.do. 
.do. 



Spindletop, south- 
west. 

Spindletop, east 
end. 

Spindletop, near . . . 

Spindletop 



Spindletop, near 
southern margin 
of pool. 

Spindletop 

do 

do 



do 

do 

Beaumont, south- 
east. 

Beaumont,3£ miles 
north. 

do 

Beaumont, 1 mile 
west. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



East side of J. W. 

Bullock League. 
J. W. Bullock 

League. 
Plomand survey . . 



Hog-Swayne tract. 



.do. 



Lot 2, Veatch sur- 
vey. 

Lot 36, Gladys 
City. 



Block 23 

J. Pi vitot survey.. 

Bullock League . . . 

Block 28, Bullock 
League. 



P. Humphrey 
survey. 



Chaison Place. 



H. R. Williams 

survey. 
do 

2210 Calder Ave- 
nue. 



Owner. 



Spindletop Power 

Co. 
Bayou City 



Harby. 



Ira O. Wyse, 

Beaumont Oil 

Co. 
Texas Oil & Pipe 

Line Co. 
Slaughter- 

Masterson. 
Treadway 



Denver -Beau- 
mont Oil, Tank 
& Pipe Line Co. 

Southern Co 

Geyser - Kalten- 
bach. 

Federal Crude Co. . 



United States Co. 
Allyne 



Higgins Oil 

Fuel Co. 
do 



& 



do , 

do 

J. M. Guffey 

Petroleum Co. 
Hey wood Oil Co. . 
do 



Beaumont Coun- 

trv Club. 
do 



Driller. 



Johnson Bros . 



Authoritv. 



Hamill Bros. 



J. W. McCarley.. 
George F.Rainey 



.do. 



J.F.Keith Jake Giles.. 



J. W. McCarley. 
Wm. Kennedy. b 

Do.c 

Do.d 

Do.e 

Do.c 
Do./ 
DO.9 

N. M. Fenneman.'* 

Do.h 
Wm. Kennedy. » 

Do;'. 

Do./ 

Do.* 
W. B. Phillips. I 
Wm. Kennedy.'" 



N. M. Fenneman. n 

Do.o 
W. B. Philhps.p 

Do.3 
Do.r 
J. W. McCarley. 

J. Edgar Pew. 

Do. 

J. F. Keith. 



a For additional data, see notes following this table. 

b Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. 
U. S. Geol. Survey No. 212, 1913, pp. 93-95. 

c Idem, pp. 95-97. 

d Idem, p. 25, 104. 

< Idem, p. 25, 79. 

/Idem, pp. 97-99. 

g Idem, pp. 99-100. 

h Fenneman, N. M., Oilfields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 
282, 1906, pp. 22, 23. 

* Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, op. cit., pp. 74-75. 
j Idem, pp. 101-102. 

* Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, op. cit., pp. 100-101. 

l Phillips, W. B., Texas petroleum: Bull. Univ. Texas No. 5, 1901, p. 73. 

m Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, op. cit., pp. 76-77. 

n Fenneman, N. M., op. cit., pp. 20-21. 

o Idem, pp. 21-22. 

P Phillips, W. B., op. cit., p. 70. 

? Idem, p. 74. 

' Idem, p. 75. 



>2i\2 



GEOLOCiY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
Wells and springs in Jefferson County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 



663 

063a 

664 

6t>5 

d-iti 

667 

668 

6G9 

670 

671 

672 
673 

674 

675 

676 

677 
678 

679 

680 

680a 
681 

682 

683 
684 
685 

686 

687 
688 
689 
690 



Location. 



Beaumont , 17$ 
miles southwest". 

Beaumont, at 
courthouse. 

Beaumont 



Beaumont, Gulf, 
Colorado & San- 
ta Fe Ry. sta- 
tion. 

Beaumont, south- 
west . 

Beaumont, near. .. 

....do 



Beaumont, 5 miles 

west. 

Beaumont, 22 
miles southwest. 

Beaumont, 9 miles 
north, near Pine 
Island Bayou. 

Hampshire, 1$ 
miles south. 

Hampshire, near . 



.do. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Jefferson Co. 



Bullock League, 
southwest cor- 
ner. 

David B r o wn 
survey. 

International & 
Great Northern 
R. R. lands, sec. 
11. 

Texas & New Or- 
leans R. R. 
lands, sec. 101. 

Texas & New Or- 
leans R. R. 
lands, sec. 56. 

D. Easlej- survey. 



Hampshire, 6 
miles east. 

Hampshire, 1J 
miles north. 

Hampshire 

Nederland, 1 mile 
northeast. 

Fannett, 5 miles 
south of post of- 
fice. 

Fannett, 5 miles 
east. 

Fannett 

Fannett, 3 miles 
west. 

Fannett, lj miles 
northeast . 

Big Hill 

do 

Hildebrands Bay- 
ou, Jefferson 
County. 

Stowell, 2 miles 
east. 

do 

do 

do 

Port Arthur, 2\ 
miles west. 



Carr labor. 



Carroll survey 

Burrell League. . . 



Texas Dvnamite 

Co. 
Gulf, Colorado & 

Santa Fe Rv. 



Almaden. 
Caswell. . 



Authority. 



Gulf Coast Oil & 
Land Co. 



American Oil Co. 



Sanger . 



N. H. Darton.a 
T. U. Taylor.fc 
A. Deussen. 
Wm. Kennedy. c 

Do.rf 

Do.' 
Do./ 

Do.? 
Do.* 
Do.t 



H. C. Wheeler ; | T. U. Taylor.* 

do ' Do../ 

[ Do.& 

J. McManus ' I j)°' • 

I Do> 

J. G. Garland. 



A. J. Snouffer. 



Sun Oil Co.. 
Y. Mavumi. 



Bigham Bros. 



H . if on vert 

J. P. Landrum. 

H. de Mandrat. 



Grange League. 



Texas & New Or- 
R. R. No. 159. 

do 

do 



Texas Land & Ir- 
rigation Co. 

do 

do 

J. McManus 

Port Arthur Oil 
Co. 



James Clark. 
W.J. Giles.. 



F.A. Schauman.. 
F. A. Schauman. 



T. U. Taylor.6 

N. M. Fenneman.* 
J. Edgar Pew. 

Y. Mayumi. 

Postmaster. 

Do. 
X. if. Fenneman.* 

O. D. Baker, post- 
master. 
Wm. Kennedy. I 
N. M. Fenneman.* 
Do."> 

. ' Chas. M. Lowe. 

Do. 

Do. 

. T. U. Taylor. b 

. William Ken- 
nedy." 



o Darton, N. H., Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States: Water-Supplv Paper I". 6. 
Geol. Survey, No. 149, 1905, p. 149. 

b Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supplv Paper No. 190, 1907, 
p. 31. " 

c Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, op. cit., p. 61. 

d Idem, p. 91. 

e Idem, p. 93. 

/Idem, p. 92. 

g Idem, pp. 88-90. 

h Idem, p. 61. 

» Idem, pp. 87-88. 

i Taylor, T. U., Rice irrigation in Texas: Bull. Univ. Texas No. 16, 1902, p. 17. 

* Fenneman, N. M., op. cit., p. 79. 

l Hayes, C. W., ana Kennedy, William, op. cit., p. 126. 

™ Fenneman, N. M., op. cit., p. 78. 

« Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, op. cit.. p. 112. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 
Wells and springs in Jefferson County, Tex. — Continued. 



263 



No. 



691 

692 
693 



694 

695 

696 
697 

698 
699 
700 

701 

702 

703 

703a 

704 

705 
706 

707 

708 

709 

710 
,11 
712 
713 
714 
715 
716 
718 
719 
720 
721 

722 



Location. 



Port Arthur, 3 

miles north. 

Port Arthur 

Port Neches, 1 mile 

northeast. 



Sabine. 
Voth.. 



.do. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



Block 34, Division 
H. 



China, 1£ miles ! . 

northeast. 

China 

Nome 

Nome, 3 miles. 

west. 
Nome 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Authority. 



Port Arthur Min- 

eral Water Co. 
Natatorium 

Nederland Oil Co. . W. H. Derr . 



Windsor Hotel 

Gulf States Brick 
Co. 

J. F. Keith 

J. E. Harrison 



Nome, If miles 

south. 
Pine Island, 2 miles 

south. 
Pine Island, 1 mile 

northwest. 
Pine Island, 3 miles 

south. 

Sabine Pass 

Sabine Pass, 3 

miles west. 
....do 



John Blair League. 



John Norton 

A. C. Zierath 

Chas. S. Edgar... 

Texas & New Or- 
leans R. R. 
J. E. Burrows 



B. F. Ho war d 

League. 



J. R. Blanch 

A. Deloune 

G. H. Nicholls... 

Stribling 

Texas Oil Co 



Sabine Pass, 6 
miles southwest. 

Sabine Pass, 7 
miles west. 



Port Arthur . 



Near mouth of 
Neches River. 



Joseph Grigs by 
League, south- 
east corner. 



Tom Robinson. 



W.C.Tyrrell. 



C. T. Heisig 

Dr. Price 

H. Aldridge 

McKinney. 

Jefferson Rice Co. 

Jes Garland 

J. W. Denny 

D.N. Coffol 

StillwellCo 



R. P. Carroll. 



Gust Warnecke. 



M. F. Stollard... 
Gust Warnecke . 



George Rainey . 



Chicago Well Bor- 
ing Co. 



Postmaster. 

T. U. Taylors 
R. G. Fisher, as- 
sistant postmas- 
ter. 
Postmaster. 

Do. 

Do. 
A. R. Sproey. 

Postmaster. 

Do. 
W. R. Ozment.6 

Engineer of main- 
tenance of way. 
J. E. Burrows. 

J. R. Blanch. 

A. H. Boyt, post- 
master. 
G. H. Nicholls. 

T. U. Taylor. c 
William Kennedy, d 

Thomas Wilson, 
postmaster. 
Do. 

Do. 

.i T. U. Taylor.* 

Do. e 
Do.f 

DO. e 
Do. « 
DO. e 
DO. e 
Do. « 
Do. e 
Do. e 
. N. M. Fenneman./ 



T. U. Taylor. « 



a Taylor, T. TJ., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper No. 190, 1907, 
p. 31. 

b Fuller, M. L., and Sanford, Samuel, Record of deep-well drilling for 1905: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survev No. 
298, 1906, p. 164. 

c Taylor, T. U., op. cit., p. 32. 

d Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, op. cit., p. 113. 

e Taylor, T. U., op. cit., p. 31. 

/ Fenneman, N. M., op. cit., pp. 77-7*. 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 
elevation of 


Depths to 
principal water- 


Head of water 
above ( + ) or 


Yield per 
minute. 






surface. 


bearing strata. ^^ 


Pump. 


Flow. 


638 


Inches. Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 
360 


Feet. 
Flows 


Galls. 


Galls. 


639 




2 009 


9* 


fl,367| to 1,460 ... 












1,840+ 

1,500 


20 


\1,757 to 1,766 






640 


1,840 


Flows. . . 




Many. 


641 










642 


6 




22J 








643 


8 


1,036 


25+ 


i 






644 




2,250 


25 








645 




2,250 


25 


1 






646 




1,110 


20- 








647 




982 


20- 


169 to 355 1 







264 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wells and springs in Jefferson County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Diameter of 

well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depth of 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Height of water 

above (+ ) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


648 


Inches. 
6 


Feet. 
930 


Feet. 
25 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Galls. 


Galls. 


649 




2,350 












650 




2,075 


24 










651 




2,015 


22 


(850 to 882 


Flows 




Flow. 


65? 


4 


1,040 


20+ 


140 to 160 


Flows 




(?)• 


653 


6 


1,006 


25 












1,956 


27J 


(83 to 98 


L 






654 


{318 to 353 




655 




772 


27.5+ 


U,527 to 1,567 

/85to94 


I 






656 


6to4 


1,139 


22.5- 


\114to324 


/ 






657 


6 


967 


25+ 










658 


6 


936 


27*+ 














1,284 




[45 to 82 


(?) 






659 


{368 to 458 

|l,2G9 to 1,284 


Flows 










1 150 


±24 


do 






660 


fG30to050 

\1,150 








4 


650 


±24 


do 






661 


630 to 650 

1,000 


+40 






66? 


6 


1,034 


25 


+2 




g 


683 


6-4 






220,260 








663a 


3 


745 






Flows 




30 


664 










do 




5 


665 




175 




120 to 175 








666 




1,400 


25 










667 




1,518 


30 


930 








668 




1,516 


25 










669 




1,559 


50 










670 




104 




100 to 104 








671 




1,419 


25 


6 to 156, 162 to 600 








67? 




230 




Flows 






673 




250 




207 to 250 










f 


178 






Flows 




20. 






267 






do 




20. 


t>,4 




i 8 . 


180 




108 to 180 


do 




20. 




1... :::... :.:.:. 


653 






do 




45. 




8 


230 


5(?) 


/90 








b/o 












f 


180 










25. 


tWb 


I::::::.:.:::::. 


200 






do 




25. 


677 




2,506 












678 


4. . 


620 


25 ( ?) 


600 to 620 

300 


Flows 




100. 


679 




300 




do 






680 


8 to 6 


536 






+2 






6S0fl 


6 


600 




600 


+1 




Few. 


fSI 




1,191 












6R? 


6 to 4.5 


900 




640 


+4 






683 


1,400 












684 




2,496 












685 


















8 


180 


30 


(28 to 32 . . 


No flow 






68b 






500.... 


5. 




8 


260 


30 


(28 to 32 


No flow 


687 


Jl20 


Flows 








8 


650 


30 


(260 


....do 








(28 to 32 


No flow 








Jl20 


Flows 






b88 




r\n 










180 




(580 


+8 


800. . . . 


25. 


689 




Flows 


20. 


690 




1,260 


25(?) 










691 


12-6 


1,400± 






Flows 






fi9? 


4£ 


796 






do 




150. 


693 


4 


1,200 (?) 

1,065 


30(?) 














6 


(60 to 175 


No flow 




0. 


694 


{452 to 498 

(1,035 to 1,065 


Flow 




7. 




8 


275 




do 




Many. 


695 










696 


6 






600 to 700 

/20 


Flows 








6 


300 


44(?) 








69 V 




in 






698 




1,000 












699 


2 


500 






Flows 






700 


8-7.5 


2,000 












701 


8 


692^ 




642to692^ 


2 




7. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 265 

Wells and springs in Jefferson County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depth of 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Height of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


702 
703 


Inches. 


Feet. 
132 


Feet. 
35 


Feet. 
/16to34 


Feet. 


Galls. 


Galls. 
5 


8 


100 


34 


\90tol40 

80 


+10 inches 

—4 


too.... 




7 3a 


8.. 


1,200 













701 


8.. 


1,500 


30 










705 




1,500 












706 




1,486 


15(?) 










707 




1,050 


6(?) 




Flows 






708 




1,800 












709 




2,000(?) 












710 




180 






Flows 




Few. 


711 




450 






do 




40. 




f 


230 






do 




Few. 


719 


J::::::: 


180 






No flow 




None. 




1:::: :::: 


150 






do 




Do. 


71 3 




190 






Flows 




Few. 


714 




135 






do 




Do. 


715 




620 






do 




Do. 


716 




530 






do 




Do. 


718 




450 






do 




65. 


719 




260 






do 




Few. 


7?0 




306 






do 




25. 


721 




1,475 


20 










799 




280 






Flows 




25. 



















No. 1 Source of water. Quality, 


Remarks. 


638 
639 

640 

641 

642 
643 

644 
645 


Lissie Some sulphur a... . 

Marine Miocene Saltv 


Suitable for drinking; used in boilers. 

Drilled for oil; none found and well abandoned. 


f do 


do 


Miocene fossils at 1,910 feet. 
\ Drilled for oil; none found; completed, 1902. 
/ Post-Pliocene fossils at 45 feet. 


i ...do 


do 






Island well; drilled for oil; abandoned. Miocene 






fossils at 800 feet. 
Drilled for oil. Miocene fossils at 1,000 feet. 
Formerly a producing oil well. Miocene fossils at 

1,036 feet. No. l'well; known as Plunger well. 
Oil test well. 














Oil test well; abandoned. 


646 






Oil well (No. 1). 


647 


Beaumont and Lissie 




Oil well (No. 4). 

Formerly a producing oil well. 

Oil test well; between 2,200 and 2,350 feet gray 
sandstone with shells and pyrites, (probably 
belonging to the Catahoula sandstone) was 
passed through. 


648 






649 






650 








(Lissie (?) 


Good 


joil test well. 


bbl 


\Marine Miocene 


Salty 


65? 


Beaumont 


Brackish 


Oil well (No. 1); completed Mar. 25, 1901. Oilat 

556 feet; flow of oil at 1,020 to 1,030 feet. 
Producing oil well (No. 2). 
1 


653 






654 

655 
fififi 


[Beaumont 




< Lissie 




>Oilwell(No. 3). 


[Marine Miocene 


Salty 


j V ^ 


Beaumont 


Sulphur (?) 


Oil well (No. 7). 

McFaddenWell No. 1; this is the original Lucas 




657 






"gusher." Flow of oil from depths 1,120 to 
1,139 feet; salt water appeared at tins depth 
alter oil was exhausted. 
Oil well (No. 2); completed May 25, 1901. Flow 


658 






of oil from 950 to 967 feet; salt water at this depth 
after oil was exhausted. 
Oil well (Hey wood No. 3); completed June 24, 

1901. Flow of oil from 927 to 935 feet. 
1 




(Beaumont 


(?) 


659 


! Lissie 


(?) 


^Drilled, 1904. 




[Marine Miocene 


Saltv 


j 




(Lissie 




Flow about 300 barrels a day. Within a few feet 
of well No. 661. 


660 


\Marine Miocene 


Saltv 


661 


Lissie 


(a) 


Completed, 1907; water used for drinking. 
Completed, 1904; temperature of water, 74°F. 


66?, 


do. (?) 


Saltv 


663 


Beaumont 




Oil test well; gas at 240 and 400 feet. 


663a 







«For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



266 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
Wells and springs in Jefferson Count;/, 7Y.<. -Continued. 



No. 



664 
665 
666 
607 
668 
669 
670 

671 
672 
673 

674 

675 
670 
677 
678 
679 

oso 

680a 

681 
6S2 

683 
684 
685 

686 

667 

688 

689 
690 
691 



692 
693 

694 

695 
696 
097 
698 
699 
700 
701 



702 

703 
703a 

704 



705 
706 
707 
708 
709 
710 
711 
712 
713 
714 
715 
716 
718 
719 
720 
721 

722 



Source of water. 



(Quality. 



Soft. 



Beaumont (?) 

Lissie'(?K'"-'-----'--------- Salt! 



Beaumont. 
Lissle 



Remarks. 



Completed, 1907. 

Drilled for oil. 

Oil test well; abandoned. 

Oil test well. 

Drilled for oil; abandoned. 

Section shows 100 feet of mottled clay above 4 feet 

of white sand. 
Drilled for oil. 
Four wells. 
Used for rice irrigation. 



Beaumont (?) Good 

(Beaumont 
" 'fi ' " " }Four wells; used for rice irrigation 

. . .do Hard 



Lissie 

do.(?). 



Lissie. 



Salty 

Sulphur 

Some sulphur . 



Lissie Good. 



JHard. 



(Recent 

(Beaumont 

...do 

/....do 

\Lissie (?) Salty 



do. 



Mineral . 



{Beaumont 
....do 
Lissie 

....do 

Beaumont I 

Lissie j Soft 



Saltv.. 
....do. 
....do. 



Lissie. 



i Beaumont. 
\Lissie 



Brackish. 



Beaumont 
























Salty 






























































Used for rice irrigation; completed, 1902. 

Two wells. 

Oil test well; abandoned. 

Used for drinking and in boilers; completed, 1903. 

Used for drinking and for irrigation. 

Used for rice irrigation. 

Completed, 1902: well now owned by F. Gould- 
ing, Fannett, Tex. 

Oil test well. 

Completed, 1902; drilled for oil; well ruined in at- 
tempt to cut casing. 

Oil test well; abandoned. 
Do. 

Oil test well; two wells. 

Used for rice irrigation; two wells: completed, 
1903. 

Two wells; used for rice irrigation. 

jused for rice irrigation; completed, 1904. 

Oil test well. 

Temperature 80° F.: well drilled for oil and flow 

of mineral water discovered in attempting to 

draw casing. 

Drilled for oil. 

IUsed for toilet. Bored in June and July, 1897; 
strainer at 1,035 to 1 ,065 feet. 

Drilled for oil. 

Surface water: not used. 

Used for lice irrigation; completed, 1902. 

Drilled for oil. 

Oil test well; completed, 1904. 

Used for locomotive boilers; completed, Septem- 
ber, 1906. 

(Water lowered 26 feet by pumping; formerly used 
\ for rice irrigation, but now discontinued: com. 

Ipleted, 1902. 

YV ater not suitable for drinking. 

Drilled for oil. 

Drilled for oil. Flowed for a short time a few 
gallons per day; water not suited for drinking; 
completed. 1902. 

Oil test well. 
Do. 

Unfit for drinking; completed. 1900. 

Drilled for oil; abandoned. 
Do. 



Three wells. 
Two wells. 



Oil test well. Two other wells are rot so deep 
as that listed. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 267 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

639. Section of Bayou City well on the east side of Bullock League, near Spindletop, Tex. 

Recent : Feet. 

Red clay 0-18 

Red sand 18 - 41 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: 

Blue clay 41 - 58 

Sand 58 - 78 

Clay 78 - 91 

Red sand 91 - 93 

Blue clay 93 - 101 

Sand 101 - 102 

Blue clay with hard shaly streaks 102 - 230 

Blue sand 230 - 245 

White sand 245 - 256 

Blue clay 256 - 267 

Greasy blue clay (called soapstone) 267 - 306 

Hard sand 306 - 321 

Blue clay, same as No. 13 321 - 330 

Gray indurated sand 330 - 346 

Blue clay 346 - 356 

White sandstone 356 - 366 

Indurated sand 366 - 371 

Tough red clay 371 - 375 

Indurated sand 375 - 392 

Broken shells 392 - 393 

Blue clay 393 - 420 

Sand and clay mixed 420 - 433 

Fine white sand 433 - 458 

Blue clay 458 - 524 

Blue sand and small gravel 524 - 579 

Shale 579 - 610 

Brown oily clay 610 - 611 

Quicksand 611 - 615 

Coarse crystalline sand 615 - 639 

Blue clay 639 - 680 

Clay and sand 680 - 735 

Gravel 735 - 770 

White sand 770 - 958 

Blue clay 958 -1,367 

Rock 1, 367 -1, 367. 5 

Sand with salt water 1, 367. 5-1, 460 

Blue clay 1, 460 -1, 511 

White sand 1,511 -1,691 

Sandstone showing clay 1, 691 -1. 731 

Red clay 1, 731 -1, 757 

Coarse sand, with salt water 1, 757 -1, 766 

Very fine white sand 1, 766 -1, 780 

White clay and blue sand 1, 780 -1, 783 

Sand, with broken shells 1, 783 -1, 811 

Compact white sand 1, 811 -1, 825 

Sand and clav 1. 825 -1. 852 



268 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds — 
Continued. 

Coarse white sand, with wood, shells, Mulinea balanus Feet. 

sp., and fish bones 1, 852 -1, 870 

Coarse sand, shells, and wood 1, 870 -1, 900 

Fine gravel, with wood and shells (Mulinea balanus) 

(Miocene fossils) 1, 900 -1, 910 

Dark-blue shale 1, 910 -1, 917 

Blue clay 1, 917 -1, 935 

Red clay 1, 935 -1, 951 

Blue clay, with pockets of soft white sand 1, 951 -2, 009 

640. Seel ion of Harby well on the Jeff Chaison tract, on the J. W. Bullock League, near 

Spindletop, Tex. 

Recent : Feet. 

Clay 0- 34 

Sand 34- 38 

Beaumont clay: 

Clay 38- 45 

Sand, with shells and wood (post-Pliocene fossils). . . 45 - 50 

Clay 50 - 70 

Clean white sand 70 - 75 

Clay 75- 100 

Sand 100 - 168 

Shale 168- 182 

Blue clay 182- 228 

Rock 228- 230 

Blue clay 230- 256 

Rock 256 - 260 

Soft blue clay with log at 290 feet ; yellow streaks and 

some shells 260- 290 

Yellow clay, with log at 340 feet 290- 340 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds : 

Sand 340- 405 

Blue clay 405- 482 

Hard rock 482 - 483 

Soft blue clay 483- 492 

Sand 492 - 508 

Blue clay 508- 550 

Sand 550- 555 

Yellow clay 555 - 570 

Lignite 570- 571 

Sand 571 - 575 

Clay 575- 604 

Hard rock 604- 612 

Soft blue clay 612- 624 

Shale rock 624- 648 

Blue clay and shale, very hard in streaks 648 - 698 

Fine white sand 698- 716 

Hard blue shale, with thin layers of sand 716 - 735 

Shale mixed with coarse sand ; sand sharp, with black 

and yellow specks 735 - 764 

White sand; upper 30 feet hard in streaks, last 30 feet 

showing black specks 764 - 874 



SOUTHEASTEKN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



269 



Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds — Continued. 

Blue clay 

Coarse sand 

Blue clay with some shale 

Sand 

Blue shale with shells 

Sand, with indications of oil 

Blue shale 

Hard white rock 

Soft-blue clay and shells 

Sand , 

Soft blue clay, with yellowish sand and lignite and 
shells; indications of oil at 1,065 to 1,071 feet. . . 

Rock 

Fine white sand 

Blue clay 

Fine white sand 

Hard blue clay with some shells 

Red clay 

Fine gray sand 

Red and blue clay 

Fine white sand 

Blue, red, and brownish clay 

Blue and red hard clay, with streaks of rock from a 
few inches to 2 feet, mostly limestone; strong in- 
dications of oil between 1,450 and 1,460 feet 

Blue clay with streaks of limestone from 2 inches to 
2 feet 

Red, blue, and brown clay with limestone rock; 
mostly rock 

Light-blue clay 

Limestones in this layer with a few inches of mud 
between 

Fine white sand with blue clay and limestone 

Blue clay mixed with some limestone and sand- 
stone 

Sandstone with thin deposits of clay 

Blue clay with streaks of limestone and pyrites. . . 

Sandstone, with small quartz crystals and black 
specks and indications of oil at 1,735 feet 

Fine white sand; with indications of oil at 1,761 
feet 

Blue and red clay and shale and mud 

Limestone, with some very dark-red and blue clay. 

Limestone 

Limestone and clay 





Feet. 






874 


- 


876 




876 


- 


886 




886 


- 


942 




942 


- 


.950 




950 


- 


960 




960 


- 


964 




964 


- 


967 




967 


- 


967i 




967^-1, 


003 


1, 


003 


-1, 


013 


1,013 


-1, 


212 


1, 


212 


-1, 


212i 


1 


212^-1, 


218 


1, 


218 


-1, 


264 


1, 


264 


-1, 


267 


1 


267 


-1, 


280 


1 


280 


-1 


317 


1 


317 


-1 


357 


1 


357 


-1 


380 


1, 


380 


-1 


390 


1 


390 


-1 


394 


1 


394 


-1 


599 


1 


599 


-1 


614 


1 


614 


-1 


623 


1 


623 


-1, 


625 


1 


625 


-1 


649 


1 


649 


-1 


661 


1 


661 


-1 


669 


1 


669 


-1 


700 


1 


700 


-1 


705 



1, 705 -1 

1, 743 -1 
1, 763 -1 

1, 794 -1 
1, 835 -1 



743 

763 

794 
835 
837 



1, 837 -1, 840 



644. Section of Slaughter- Masterson well on lot 2 of the Veatch survey, near Spindle- 
top, Tex. 

Feet. 

From surface to 360 feet, record lost 0- 360 

Tough blue clay 360- 400 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds : 

Alternate layers of gray clay and sandstone 400- 420 

Gray clay 420- 551 



270 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds — Continued. Feet. 

Shelly rock 551- 598 

Bowlders 598- 603 

Gray clay and sand 603- 605 

Hard gray sand 605-. 637 

Gray clay 637- 670 

Limestone 670- 671 

Gray clay with sandstone 671- 698 

Hard sand ; show of oil 698- 701 

Gray clay 701- 731 

Gray sand ; with show of oil and gas 731- 790 

( "lay and sand 790- 801 

Coarse pebbly sand, with sandstone and some gas. . . 801- 846 

Hard sandstone 846- 848 

Soft gray clay 848- 864 

Hard gray sandstone with marl 864- 873 

Gumbo (blue clay) 873- 887 

Soft gray sand 887- 900 

Soft blue clay; showing oil 900- 922 

White sand ; showing gas 922- 930 

Blue clay, with shells 930- 941 

Hard gray sandstone 941- 953 

Soft fine sand 953- 994 

Shells 994-1, 001 

Clay with shells 1, 001-1, 020 

Shells, with a little limestone 1, 020-1, 048 

Hard gray sand 1, 048-1, 061 

Blue clay, with hard streaks and shells 1, 061-1, 169 

Hard sand 1, 169-1, 173 

Soft gray clay 1, 173-1, 180 

Hard blue clay 1, 180-1, 194 

Limestone, with thin layers of clay 1, 194-1, 223 

Clay 1, 223-1, 270 

Thin layers of limestone, with some gas; hard in 

lower division 1, 270-1, 328 

Gray sand; showing oil and gas 1, 328-1, 385 

Hard limestone 1, 385-1, 387 

Hard clay 1, 387-1, 397 

Hard blue limestone 1, 397-1, 398 

Pebbly concrete 1, 398-1, 400 

Soft white lime, with iron ' ' pellets " 1, 400-1, 412 

Coarse gray sand 1, 412-1, 417 

Limestones interstratified with blue and red clays 

and sand with pyrites 1, 417-1, 552 

Conglomerate 1, 552-1, 570 

Clay, with thin layers of limestone 1, 570-1, 600 

Very hard bed of limestone 1, 600-1, 608 

Yellow sand 1, 608-1, 618 

Soft limestone 1, 618-1, 635 

Clay, with wood and iron pyrites 1, 635-1, 665 

Soft reddish clay 1, 665-1, 680 

Blue limestone, with sand and pebbles 1, 680-1, 701 

Soft red clay .'.. 1, 701-1, 756 

White sandstone 1, 756-1, 767 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 271 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds— Continued. Feet. 

Limestone, with pink pebbles 1, 767-1, 775 

Coarse gray sandstone, with some lime in lower di- 
vision 1, 775-1, 844 

Gray clay 1, 844-1, 868 

Sandstone, with lime 1, 868-1, 895 

Tough red clay 1, 895-1, 909 

Gray and pink limestone 1, 909-1, 914 

Blue clay and red clay 1, 914-1, 934 

Sandstone 1, 934-1, 945 

White limestone, with iron pyrites 1, 945-1, 997 

Limestone 1, 997-2, 032 

645. Section of Treadway well on lot 36, Gladys City, near Spindletop, Tex. 

Recent deposits and Beaumont clay : Feet. 

Blue and yellow clay and sand 0- 269 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds : 

Sandrock and shells 269- 291 

Blue clay, with shells and some thin layers of sand- 
stone 291- 393 

Sandstone 393- 407 

Blue clay ; with indications of oil at 413 feet 407- 432 

Coarse gray sand, with gravel in last 18 feet 432- 472 

Blue sand and shells 472- 493 

Gray sandstone 493- 515 

Blue clay 515- 525 

Blue sand 525- 589 

Sandstones, gray ; with brown gravel 589- 619 

Sand 619- 640 

Blue shale and clay 640- 682 

Soft white rock 682- 703 

Gray quicksand 703- 854 

Brown sandstone, with gray and white sand 854- 924 

Blue clay 924- 

Strata of limestones, sands, and clays 1, 500-1, 800 

646. Section of Denver-Beaumont Oil Tank <£• Pipe Line Co.'s well No. 1 at Spindle- 

top, Tex. 

Feet. 

Yellow clay 0-42 

Quicksand 42 - 60 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: 

Yellow sand 60 - 82 

Blue sand 82 - 103 

Gumbo 103 - 145 

Hard shale 145 - 146 

Gumbo 146 - 230 

Hard shale '.. 230 - 252 

Gumbo 252 - 296 

Hard shale 296 - 372 

Gumbo 372 - 416 

Hard shale, with shells 416 - 451 

Heavy gumbo 451 - 496 

Hard shale, with shells 496 - 514 



272 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene 
beds — Continued. Feet. 

Sindrock, with some oil 514 - 516 

Hard shale, with shells 516 - 597 

Quicksand 597 - 607 

Hard shale, with shells 607 - 618 

Hard limerock, with some shells 618 - 651 

Quicksand 651 - 654 

Crystallized limestone, with sharp sand 654 - 681 

Quicksand 681 - 693 

Gumbo 693 - 707 

Hard limerock 707 - 708 

Hard shale, with shells 708 - 717 

Soft shale 717 - 746 

Hard limerock 746 - 750 

Gumbo 750 - 758 

Crystallized limerock 758 - 760 

Gumbo 760 - 771 

Hard limerock 771 - 782 

Gumbo 732 - 787 

Limerock, with some oil in the seams 787 - 826 

Gumbo 826 - 832 

Hard limerock 832 - 835 

Gumbo 835 - 896 

Hard shale 896 - 922 

Gumbo 922 - 989 

Hard limerock 989 - 990 

Gumbo 990 -1,042 

Hard shale, with stratum of limerock 1. 042 -1, 053 

Gumbo 1, 053 -1, 095 

First cap rock, oil sand, shells; some oil 1, 095 -1, 095. 5 

Hard shale with small limestone strata 1, 095. 5-1, 097 

Second cap rock, like first, with considerable oil . . 1, 097 -1, 098 

Hard shale, with crystallized limerock 1, 098 -1, 101 

Third cap rock, like first 1, 101 -1, 103 

Oil sand 1, 103 -1, 110 

647. Section of Southern Co.'s well No. 4 at Spindletop, Tex. 

Feet. 

Soil 0-35 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: 

Quicksand 35-165 

Shells 165-169 

Water sand 169-355 

Gravel 355-423 

Sand and shells 423-502 

Rock, with pyrite 502-506 

Gumbo 506-648 

Sand, with shells 648-672 

Shells 672-720 

Gumbo 720-784 

Wet sand 784-823 

Rock and gumbo 823-845 

Sulphur 845-848 

Flint rock (?) 848-851 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 273 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene 
beds — Continued. Feet. 

Sand and shells 851-883 

Gumbo 883-892 

Sandrock 892-893 

Gumbo 893-901 

Flint rock (?) 901-905 

Gumbo 905-965 

Sand with shells 965-981 

Sulphur 981-982 

Cap rock 982- 

648. Section of Geyser-Kaltenbach well on block 23 at Spindletop, Tex. 

Feet. 

Yellow clay 0-20 

Quicksand 20-56 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: 

Blue clay 56-190 

Quicksand 190-295 

Coarse gravel 295-315 

Blue clay 315-325 

Hard blue shale 325-329 

Blue clay 329-380 

Coarse gravel 380-397 

Blue clay 397-410 

Coarse gravel 410-428 

Coarse sand, with gas 428-465 

Blue clay 465-480 

Blue clay mixed, with small bowlders 480-495 

Quicksand 495-507 

Blue clay 507-590 

White limerock 590-600 

Sulphur and oil sand 600-602 

Blue sandrock 602-620 

Hard white limerock 620-625 

Blue clay 625-632 

Soft sandrock 632-643 

Hard white limerock 643-644 

Blue clay 644-652 

Soft sandrock 652-657 

Blue clay 657-680 

Shell formation 680-717 

White limerock 717-737 

Gray clay 737-748 

White limerock 748-749 

Gray clay, with shells 749-780 

Shells 780-787 

Blue clay 787-794 

Gray clay 794-810 

Shells 810-812 

Oil sand 812-815 

Blue clay 815-820 

Hard limerock 820-824 

Black sand 824-830 

14926°— wsp 335—14 18 



274 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGRO I' M> WATERS OF 



Beaumont clay, Lassie gravel, and marine Miocene beds — 
Continued. Feet. 

White limerock 830-832 

Soft dark shale 832-845 

Soft white limerock 845-852 

Soft dark shale 852-865 

Blue sand rock 865-870 

Quicksand 870-882 

White limerock 882-885 

Sand showing oil 885-897 

Blue clay 897-907 

Iron pyrites 907-909 

Dark clay 909-912 

Oil sand 912-930 

650. Section of United States well on Bullock League, east of Spindletop, Jefferson 

County, Tex. Feet 

Clay and sand 0- 180 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: 

Sandstone 180- 246 

Clay 246- 250 

Sandstone 250- 260 

Hard blue clay 260- 374 

Rock, with thin stratum of sand 374- 481 

Sand ; slight traces of oil at 500 feet 481- 530 

Hard rock 530- 560 

Record wanting 560- 610 

Blue clay 610- 680 

Sand and gravel with gas at 724 feet 680- 841 

Blue clay 841- 850 

Blue sand; traces of oil at 860 feet 850- 880 

Blue clay; traces of oil 880- 900 

Sand 900- 921 

Blue -clay, with loose rock; traces of oil 921-1, 037 

Gray sand; indications of oil at 1,155 feet 1, 037-1, 236 

Blue clay 1, 236-1, 240 

Sand with shells 1, 240-1, 348 

Hard rock 1, 348-1, 352 

Sand with shells 1, 352-1, 375 

Blue and red clays 1, 375-1, 410 

Sandstone; oil indications below 1, 410-1, 500 

Sand; strong indications of oil 1, 500-1, 530 

Soft mud 1,530-1,583 

Sand, with shells; indieatiors of oil 1, 583-1, 690 

Soft sand; indications of oil 1, 690-1, 720 

Sandstone and sand ; oil in sand 1, 720-1, 800 

Red and blue clay; slight indications of oil 1, 800-1, 815 

Soft mud 1,815-1,835 

Sand 1, 835-1, 900 

Soft mud 1,900-1,950 

Sand 1, 950-2, 000 

Blue clay 2. 000-2, 050 

Coarse sand and shells 1, 050-2, 075 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 275 

651. Section of Allyne well, on lot 28, Iowa Colony lands, Bulloch League, near Spindle- 
top, Tex. 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Sands and clays 0- 800 

Clear fine gravel or coarse sand with strata of limestone . 800- 850 

Very fine quicksand ; artesian water 850- 882 

Wanting 882-1, 000 

Sand, sandstone with gravel and shells; salt water at 

1,050 feet 1, 000-1, 075 

Blue clay, with occasional beds of gravel and sand 1, 075-1, 545 

Pinkish-colored limestone, with clays interstratified 1, 545-1, 725 

Gravel, with a thin bed of blue clay 1, 725-1, 755 

Thin limestone beds, with gravel, sand, and some clay. 1, 755-1, 900 

Sand 1, 900-1, 955 

Blue, red, and chocolate-colored clay, with thin 

streaks of rock 1, 955-2, 015 

652. Section of Biggins Oil & Fuel Co.'s well No. 1, at Spindletop, Tex. 

Feet, 

Black loam 0- 3 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: 

Blue clay 3- 30 

Quicksand and very fine sand 30- 51 

Fine sand, mixed with clay 51- 80 

Fine sand, mixed with very fine clay 80- 100 

Sand as fine as flour 100- 110 

Fine sand 110- 120 

Clay, sand, and stone 120- 140 

Fine sand and brackish water 140- 160 

Blue clay 160- 170 

Coarse sand 170- 180 

Coarser sand 180- 200 

Medium fine sand 200- 225 

A little finer sand 225- 245 

Coarser sand, with black pebbles 245- 260 

Still coarser sand 260- 280 

Coarse sand, mixed with clay 280- 360 

Coarse sand ; no clay 360- 365 

Coarser sand .' 365- 380 

Very coarse sand 380- 395 

Coarse sand, with black pebbles and shells 395- 418 

Sharp finer sand and shells 418- 425 

Blue sand ; still finer 425- 445 

Coarse sand 445- 460 

Sharp sand ; coarse shells 460- 490 

Sharp sand ; coarser shells 490- 515 

First sign of oil 515- 536 

No oil; coarse sand and shells 536- 556 

Coarse sand, with black pebbles; more oil than at 536. . 556- 575 

Very fine blue sand ; no oil 575- 995 

Coarser sand ; some shells 995- 615 

Coarser sand and siliceous pebbles 615- 700 



276 GEOLOGY AND I'NDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds — 

Continued. Feet. 

Very coarse blue shells 700- 785 

Finer shells; some blue clay 785- 805 

Clayey sand; numerous shells 805- 825 

Sand; some shells 825- 845 

Blue sand ; some shells 845- 875 

Little finer sand; some shells 875- 900 

Yellow sand; fairly good signs of oil which settled on 

water 900- 920 

No oil; medium fine sand 920- 940 

Blue shale; some shells 940- 945 

Blue shale; no shells 945- 960 

Darker sand ; trace of oil 960- 980 

Lighter colored sand; blue shale; trace of oil 980-1, 000 

Blue shale; trace of oil (a barrel bailed in two days) ... 1, 000-1, 020 

Oil-bearing rock 1, 020-1, 030 

Sulphur and rock 1, 030-1, 040 

653. Section of Higgins Oil & Fuel Co.'s well No. 2, near southern margin of Spindle- 
top oil pool, Jefferson County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Soil, black sandy loam - 0.66 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene 
beds: 

Yellow clay, with red streaks 0. 66- 14 

Blue clay, with limy concretions 4 - 16 

Bluish-gray sand 16 - 22 

Yellowish-colored clay, with lime 22 - 30 

Dark-blue clay, with some lime and shells 30 - 40 

Gray sand 40 - 56 

Blue sand 56 - 69 

Blue clay, with pyrites 69 - 120 

Blue sand, with some clay and small pebbles 120 - 146 

Fine bluish-gray sand 146 - 156 

Fine gray sand 156 - 187 

Fine gray sand, with black specks 187 - 197 

Bluish-tinted gray sand 197 - 262 

Dark-gray sand, with black specks 262 - 271 

Fine drak-gray sand 271 - 315 

Fine grayish-tinted sand 315 - 350 

Fine grayish-green sand 350 - 400 

Fine brownish-gray sand 400 - 440 

Fine brown sand, with shells 440 - 470 

Fine brown sand, with broken shells 470 - 491 

Coarse blue sand, with broken shells 491 - 500 

Very fine muddy sand 500 - 547 

Very fine bluish-gray sand 547 - 564 

Very fine gray sand, with bluish tint 564 - 612 

Fine gray sand, with bluish tint 612 - 624 

Fine sandy clay (fish bones, at 628 feet) 624 - 666 

Fine blue sandy clay 666 - 672 

Very fine light-blue sand 672 - 685 

Light-blue rock 685 - 728 

Bluish-gray sand 728 - 736 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 277 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene 

beds — Continued. Feet. 

Light-gray sand, with shells 736- 750 

Marl, with small shells 750- 756 

Light bluish-gray sand and shells 756- 761 

Fine sand and shells 761- 825 

Very fine dark brownish-gray sand 825- 874 

Hard grayish-blue sandy clay, with shells; heavy indi- 
cations of oil 874- 900 

Dark rock 2 feet, shells 1 foot 900- 903 

Dark grayish-blue sand, with some clay - 903- 915 

Lignite 915- 920 

Bluish-gray sand, with shells 920- 954 

Bluish-gray rock 954- 958 

Very fine grayish-brown sand, with shells 958- 982 

Very fine sand, with shells. 982- 995 

Dark gray rock, "cap rock" 995-1, 000 

Coarse dark-gray sand, with oil 1, 000-1, 006 

654. Section of Higgins Oil & Fuel Co.'s well No. 3, at Spindletop, Tex. 

Feet. 

Soil and clay 0- 17 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: 

Sand 17- 23 

Clay 23- 43 

Quicksand with clay 43- 83 

Water sand 83- 98 

Blue marl 98- 178 

Quicksand 178- 308 

Blue clay 308- 318 

Water sand 318- 353 

Blue marl 353- 383 

Quicksand 383- 425 

Rock 425- 426 

Quicksand 426- 467 

Sandrock 467- 471 

Blue marl 471- 521 

Shell rock 521- 524 

Blue marl ; 524- 584 

Quicksand 584- 614 

Rock 614- 620 

Blue clay 620- 623 

Rock 623- 625 

Blueclay 625- 632 

Rock clay 632- 636 

Blue marl with sand 636- 666 

Rock 666- 667 

Blue sand 667- 747 

Blueclay 747- 759 

Shell rock 759- 773 

Blue marl 773- 833 

Rock 833- 838 

Blueclay 838- 848 

Rock 848- 854 



278 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Beaumont clay, Liade gravel, and marine Miocene beds — 

Continued. Feet. 

Blue clay 854- 866 

Oil sand 866- 886 

White limerock 886- 989 

Sulphur and oil sand 989-1, 008 

White limerock 1, 008-1, 081 

White limerock with sand 1, 081-1, 306 

Sand with a little gas 1, 306-1, 307 

White lime with sand 1, 307-1. 480 

Sand with very little gas 1, 480-1. 481 

White lime with more sand than heretofore 1, 481-1, 527 

Salt-water sand 1, 527-1. 567 

White lime and sandrock 1, 567-1, 620 

Same, with gas 1, 620-1, 625 

Rock 1, 625-1, 647 

Rock salt 1, 647-1, 956 

Quit in rock salt 1, 956- 

655. Section of Higgins Oil & Fuel Co.'s well No. 7, Spindletop, Tex. 

Feet. 

Yellow and red clay 0- 21 

Very fine sand 21- 29 

Beaumont clay and Lissie gravel: 

Blue clay with some shells 29- 85 

Coarse sand and sulphur water 85- 94 

White clay with fine shells 94- 114 

Very coarse sand ; much water 114- 324 

Red and gray clay, very sticky 324- 334 

Fine sand, with shells and gravel 334- 413 

Gumbo, very sticky 413- 476 

Sand; showing of oil 476- 480 

Blueclay 480- 505 

Sandwith rotten wood 505- 506 

Sandrock 506- 508 

Sticky clay, very dark 508- 550 

"Cement rock," shells, and sand 550- 552 

Very fine loose sand 552- 557 

Very hard sandstone 557- 558 

White sticky clay, very hard 558- 565 

Limerock (cemented shells) 565- 567 

Clay, very gummy 567- 575 

Soft white limestone 575- 577 

White clay 577- 629 

Very hard blue flint rock 629- 630 

Rock, shells, and clay 630- 667 

Hard sandstone 667- 669 

White clay, very gummy 669- 704 

Very hard white limestone 704- 709 

Sand with strong gas pressure 709- 722 

Sulphur and white rock mixed 722- 746 

Very porous oil rock 746- 770 

Very hard clay 770- 772 



SOUTHEASTER TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 279 

656. Section of the J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co.'s well {McFaddin No. 1, original Lucac 
"gusher") on the P. Humphrey survey, Spindletop, Tex. 

Feet. 

Yellow clay - 36 

Coarse gray sand 36 - 56 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene 
beds: 

Blue clay, pretty hard 56 t 170 

Fine gray sand...*. 170 - 245 

Variously colored gravel, from bean to goose-egg 

size , 245 - 265 

Coarse gray sand 265 - 317 

Blue clay 317 - 352 

Coarse gray sand, with pyrite concretions 352 - 376 

Blue clay' 376 - 395 

Fine gray sand, with lignite : 395 - 440 

Marl 440 - 448 

Gray sand with concretions and much lignite . . . 448 - 508 

Soft limestone 508 - 508.75 

Gray clay and sulphureted hydrogen gas 508. 75- 528. 25 

Hard sandstone, with calcite depositions 528. 25- 529 

Gray sand 529 - 563 

Compact hard sand with pyrite 563 - 588 

Hard sandstone and calcareous concretions 588 - 588. 5 

Grayclay 588.5- 601.75 

Hard sand 601. 75- 602 

Gray clay with calcareous concretions 602 - 659 

White calcareous shells 659 - 665 

Grayclay 665 - 679 

Gray sandstone; oil 679 - 685 

Gray clay, with calcareous concretions 685 - 692 

Gray clay, getting harder 692 - 715 

Calcareous concretions, with calcite 715 - 717 

Hard gray clay, with calcareous concretions; 

much fine pyrite 717 - 853 

Sandstone and pyrite ; hard 853 - 873 

Hard rock, apparently limestone 873 - 875 

Fine oil sand, with large layer toward the 
bottom and heavy pressure under it, filling 

casing for 100 feet above point of drilling 875 - 899 

Hardclay 899 - 979 

Calcareous concretions, with layers of hard sand- 
stone 979 -1,029 

Struck heavy gas pressure and oil, which lasted 

about one hour and then subsided 1, 029 -1, 069 

Sand mixed with calcareous concretions arid 
fossils 1, 069 -1, 139 

657. Section of Hey wood Oil Co.'s well No. 2, Spindletop, Tex. 

Feet. 

Red clay 0-15 

Fine sand 15- 25 

Blue clay 25-60 



280 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Beaumonl clay and Li&de gravel: Feet. 

Sand 60-75 

Blue clay 75-120 

Sand 120-130 

Clay 130-180 

Sand 180-180 

Clay 480-510 

Sand 510-526 

Rock 526-527 

Sand 527-595 

Rock in small layers, clay between 595-620 

Clay 620-633 

Rock 633-638 

Clay 638-660 

Rock 660-663 

Clay 663-680 

Sand 680-690 

Rock 690-694 

Clay 694-735 

Rock 735-740 

Clay 740-780 

Rock 780-786 

Sand 786-830 

Rock 830-832 

Clay 832-872 

Rock 872-873 

Sand 873-893 

Clay 893-917 

Sulphur rock 917-950 

Oil sand 950-967 

658. Section of Eeywood Oil Co.'s well No. 3, at Spindletop, Tex. 

Feet. 

Yellow clay 0- 18 

Sand 18-28 

Blue clay 28- 60 

Beaumont clay and Lissie gravels: 

Sand 60- 78 

Blue clay 78-180 

Sand 180-350 

Clay and sand 350-480 

Rock 480-530 

Clay 530-560 

Sand 560-595 

Clay 595-740 

Sand 740-780 

Clay 780-812 

Sand 812-822 

Clay 822-842 

Sulphur rock, with oil signs 842-852 

Sand 852-872 

Sulphur rock 872-887 

Sand 887-897 

Sulphur rock 897-905 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 281 

Beaumont clay and Lissie gravels — Continued. Feet. 

Sand 905-907 

Sulphur rock 907-927 

Loose oil sand 927-935 

659. Section of well on Chaison Place in southeast Beaumont, Tex. 

[Furnished by J. W. McCarley, driller.] 

Feet. 

Red clay 1- 45 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: 

Water sand (surface water) 45- 82 

Clay, reddish hue 82- 103 

White sand 103- 168 

Blue gumbo 168- 231 

Hard gray sand 231- 290 

Soft blue sand...-. 290- 359 

Blue gumbo 359- 368 

Sand, bluish, with black specks; artesian flow 368- 458 

• Gumbo 458- 480 

Soft blue shale 480- 530 

Gumbo 530- 612 

Blue sand , 612- 635 

Brown shale; sour taste; 18 inches rock 635- 771 

Soft brown shale 771- 997 

Porous brown rock ; very hard 997- 999 

"Oil sand " 999-1, 026 

Gumbo 1, 026-1, 269 

Sand and salt water 1, 269-1, 284 

665. Section oj well at Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway station at Beaumont, Tex. 

Beaumont clay: Feet. 

Clay 0- 6 

Sand 6- 8 

Blue clay 8- 45 

Sand, with shells 45-49 

Blue clay, with thin streaks of sand 49-120 

Lissie gravel: 

Sand, with water 120-175 

666. Section of Almaden well, southwest corner of Bullock League, southwest of 

Beaumont, Tex. 

Recent: Feet. 

Surface clay 0- 10 

Orange sand 10- 75 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: 

Blueclay 75- 175 

Dark-gray sand 175- 200 

Blueclay 200- 300 

Clay and bark 300- 353 

Heavy dark-blue clay 353- 400 

Fine sand, with wood 400- 552 

Clay 552- 557 

Fine gray sand 557- 605 

Clay 605- 623 

Sand, with slight showing of oil 623- 643 



282 GEOLOcre and underground waters of 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds 

Continued. Feet. 

Sandy clay 643- 725 

Fine gray sand 725- 865 

Sandy clay, with broken shells 865- 995 

Fine dark sand 995-1, 070 

Blue sandy clay, with broken shells J, 070-1, 135 

Fine gray sand 1, 135-1, 155 

Blue clay and sand 1, 155-1, 170 

Clay 1, 170-1, 260 

Sand 1, 260-1, 400 

667. Section of Caswell well on the David Brown survey, near Beaumont, Tex. 

Feet. 

Clay : .... 0-45 

White sand 45 - 110 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: 

Blue clay 110 - 325 

Sand 325 - 490 

Clay 490 - 675.5 

Rock, showing oil 675. 5- 676 

Clay s 676 - 681 

Rock, showing oil 681 - 682 

White quicksand, with black specks 682 - 810 

Blue clay 810 - 830 

Sand 830 - 870 

Blue clay 870 - 890 

Sand; salt water at 930 feet 890 - 950 

Clay and coarse brown sand, showing oil 950 - 970 

Hard blue clay 970 -1,000 

Sand 1, 000 -1, 050 

Clay and shells 1, 050 -1, 184 

Hard white clay. 1, 184 -1, 197 

Sand, showing oil 1, 197 -1, 203 

Three beds of limestone, with 1 foot of oil and as- 
phalt (?) 1,203 -1,240 

Oil sand 1, 240 -1, 243 

Clay 1, 243 -1, 275 

Sand 1, 275 -1, 282 

Clay 1,282 -1,386 

Sandstone 1, 386 -1, 388 

Clay 1, 388 -1, 389 

Sand 1, 389 -1, 406 

Hard red clay, drying to light pink 1, 406 -1, 518 

668. Section of Gulf Coast Oil <Sc Land Co.'q well, in sec. 11, International & Great 
Northern Railroad Co.'s lands. Jefferson County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Red clay •. 0- 20 

Quicksand 20- 50 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: 

Alternate strata of sand and clay 50- 120 

Hard blue clay 120- 170 

Sand and clav 170- 280 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 283 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds — 

Continued. Feet. 

Shale 280- 310 

Blue clay 310- 360 

"Hardpan," traces of oil 360- 400 

Sand and shale 400- 440 

Sandrock 440- 441 

Red marl shale 441- 471 

Sandrock 471- 472 

Sand and shale 472- 540 

Blue clay, with cypress logs (Beaumont clay) 540- 580 

Rock in thin layers, with gravel 580- 700 

Limestone and sandstone, with traces of sulphur 700- 780 

Hard blue clay 780- 830 

Rock in thin layers, with sand and clay 830- 900 

Shells and gravel 900- 910 

Blue clay, with small lumps of limestone 910- 990 

Hard blue clay and shells 990-1, 000 

Blue and red clay, mixed with shells and gravel 1, 000-1, 060 

Thin rock, blue and red clay, in layers 1, 060-1, 130 

Shells and clay 1, 130-1, 190 

Clay and shells 1, 190-1, 200 

Thin rock and gravel 1, 200-1, 250 

Black shale, traces of oil 1, 250-1, 280 

Yellow sand 1, 280-1, 300 

Red and blue clay and shells 1, 300-1, 340 

Sharp, coarse sand 1, 340-1, 360 

Hard blue clay, with limestone in hard lumps 1, 360-1, 410 

Soft blue clay 1, 410-1, 430 

Sand and clay 1, 430-1, 450 

Thin rock and gravel 1, 450-1, 470 

Sharp sand 1, 470-1, 480 

Hard blue clay 1, 480-1, 500 

Gravel and limestone 1, 500-1, 516 

669. Section of American Oil Co.'s well, Texas &• New Orleans Railroad Co.'s lands, 

sec. 101, 5 miles west of Beaumont, Tex. 

Feet. 

Sand 0- 3 

Yellow clay 3- 8 

Quicksand 8- 18 

Yellowclay 18- 29 

Fine sand and shells 29- 32 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: 

Blue clay 32- 48 

Sand 48- 66 

Blue clay 66- 78 

Sand 78- 88 

Blue clay 88- 120 

Fine sand and shells 120- 126 

Blue clay 126- 146 

Sand 146- 174 

Blue clay 174- 209 

Sand 209- 230 

Blueclav 230- 264 



284 GEOLOGY AND rNDEKGROUND WATERS OF 

Beaumont claw Lassie gravel, and marine Miocene beds — 

Continued. feet. 

Sand 264- 272 

Blue clay 272- 294 

Sand 294- 320 

Blue clay 320- 339 

Sand 339- 403 

Blue clay 403- 440 

Sand 440- 453 

Blue clay 453- 484 

Sand 484- 490 

Blue clay 490- 536 

Sand 536- 560 

Blue clay 560- 577 

Sand with hard streaks 577- 590 

Red clay 590- 605 

Soft sandstone 605- 607 

Sand 607- 637 

Sand with hard streaks 637- 640 

Blue clay 640- 655 

Sand 655- 675 

Blue clay 675- 700 

Sand 700- 765 

Fine quartz gravel from pea to marble sizes, smooth, 

and various colors 765- 775 

Sand 775- 840 

Blue clay 840- 853 

Sand 853- 864 

Red clay 864- 870 

Sand 870- 892 

Bark and logs 892- 900 

Blue clay 900- 916 

Sand and shells 916- 926 

Blue clay 926- 934 

Sand 934- 990 

Hard sand 990- 994 

Bark and logs 994-1, 010 

Blue clay 1, 010-1, 021 

Sand 1, 021-1, 046 

Red clay 1, 046-1, 055 

Sand, clay, and bark 1, 055-1, 070 

Blue clay 1, 070-1, 082 

Sand 1, 082-1, 105 

Blue clay 1, 105-1, 132 

Sand 1, 132-1, 153 

Sand and gravel 1, 153-1, 164 

Blue clay 1, 164-1. 203 

Sand 1, 203-1, 233 

Sand and fine gravel 1, 233-1, 249 

Sand 1, 249-1, 304 

Sand and shells 1, 304-1, 316 

Blue clay 1, 316-1, 323 

Soft limestone 1, 323-1, 325 

Yellow clay 1, 325-1, 329 

Sand 1, 329-1. 359 



SOUTHEASTEEN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 285 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds — 

Continued. Feet. 

Red clay 1, 359-1, 371 

Sand and shells 1, 371-1, 376 

Blue clay 1, 376-1, 417 

Sand 1, 417-1, 454 

Blue clay 1, 454-1, 531 

Sand 1, 531-1, 537 

Blue clay 1, 537-1, 549 

Sand 1, 549-1, 559 

671. Section of Sanger well, near Pine Island Bayou, D. Easley survey, 9 miles north 

of Beaumont, Tex. 

Feet. 

Clay - 6 

Lissie gravel and marine Miocene beds: 

Coarse water sand 6 - 156 

Blue clay 156 - 162 

Alternate layers of clay and coarse ■white sand ; clay, 

blue; sand, water-bearing 162 - 600 

Shell rock '. 600 - 600.5 

Sand 600.5- 641 

Blue clay and sand, more clay than sand 641 - 901 

Shell rock 901 - 902 

Sand 902 - 932 

Blue and red clay 932 - 992 

Sand and clay 992 -1,231 

Shells . 1, 231 -1, 232 

Sand and clay .' 1, 232 -1, 259 

Sand 1, 259 -1, 289 

Clay 1, 289 -1, 309 

Sand and shells 1, 309 -1, 334 

Clay 1, 334 -1, 419 

683. Kennedy says: " * * * At a depth of 350 feet rock was encountered, which 
continued to a depth of 1,400, where drilling was discontinued. This rock, which is 
remarkably uniform throughout its 1,050 feet, is a light-gray crystalline dolomite. 
The rock is massive, but contains parallel seams which may represent bedding planes. 
These have an inclination of about 7°, indicating a decided dip in the beds. Since 
the angle of dip is obtained from cores, its direction can not be determined, but it is 
assumed to be toward the east, with the surface slope on which the well is located. 
The dolomite contains much gypsum, and in places is cavernous. * * * 

"While it can not be stated definitely from data at present available, it appears 
probable that this locality is upon a dome similar to those at Spindletop and High 
Island. A well at Winnie, only a few miles to the west, found no rock whatever to a 
depth of 1,600 feet." 

684. This well went 2,496 feet before encountering any formation characteristic of 
the mounds. At that depth it entered " solid gray limestone, with gypsum and some 
pyrite. " After drilling in this rock 34 feet, the well was abandoned. 

687. C. M. Lowe says: "The distance between the first (120 feet) and second (260 
feet) sands in these wells is about the same. These two wells yield the same character 
of water and in about the same quantity. These two water-bearing sands are con- 
nected, as pumping one well in either sand lowers water level in other sands 50 to 400 
feet distant." 



286 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

688. C. M. Lowe says: ''This water (at 580 feet) is perceptibly salty , but on analysis 
State chemist stated was safe for use for irrigating rice with 25 per cent admixture of 
fresh water. No bad effects are visible." 

690. Section of Port Arthur Oil Co.'s well, 2\ miles west of Port Arthur, Tex. 

Beaumont clay and Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Blue surface clay - 87 

Wet blue sand 87 - 109 

Dry white sand 109 - 291 

Blue clay 291 - 331 

Dry sand 331 - 401 

Blue clay 401 - 441 

Whitish-yellow wet sand 441 466 

Dry sand 466 - 496 

Hard blue clay 496 723 

Sand, with a little oil 723 724. 5 

Hard blue clay 724.5- 778 

Bluish wet sand 778 - 926 

Blue clay 926 - 971 

Wet sand '. 971 -1,001 

Sand and clay 1, 001 -1, 120 

Conglomerate of sand, mud, and clay 1, 120 -1, 260 

694. Section of artesian well at Windsor Hotel, Sabine, Tex. 
[Furnished by J. G. Reeve, hotel manager.] 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Black mud and sand 0- 60 

Sand ; salt water; no flow 60- 175 

Clay (Beaumont ?) 175- 452 

Sand; flows 7 gallons per minute of salt water 452- 498 

Clay and shell mixed 498-1, 031 

Shell 1,031-1,035 

Sand; flows salt water 1, 035-1, 065 

1,031 feet of 4^-inch casing used; 30-foot strainer between 1,031 and 1,061 feet. 
700. Section of well owned by C. S. Edgar, J miles west of Nome, Tex. 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds: Feet. 

Greenish, soft gumbo ; slight showing of oil 0- 135 

Sand and gumbo; tested here for oil; none to amount to 

paying venture 135- 560 

Sand 560- 570 

Gumbo 570- 609 ' 

Coarse sand 609- 629 

Gumbo 629- 850 

Clamshells 850- 890 

Gumbo 890-1, 215 

Red clay 1, 215-1, 225 

Gumbo 1, 225-1, 260 

Sand; slight showing of oil 1, 260-1, 287 

Gumbo 1, 287-1, 290 

Rock 1, 290-1, 291 

Gumbo 1,291-1,300 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 287 

Beaumont clay, Lissie gravel, and marine Miocene beds — 
Continued. Feet. 

Blue gumbo 1, 300-1, 310 

Sand 1, 310-1, 325 

Gumbo 3 , 325-1, 334 

Sand; slight showing of oil 1, 334-1, 450 

Rock 1, 450-1, 510 

Gumbo and rock sand, very hard at 1,810 feet 1, 510-1, 810 

Gumbo 1, 810-1, 985 

Rock 1, 985-1, 990 

Gumbo 1, 990-2, 000 

701. Section of Texas & New Orleans Railroad Co.'s well at Nome, Tex. 

Beaumont clay and Lissie gravel : Feet. 

Clay 0-19 

Sand 19-103 

Clay 103-107 

Sand 107-123 

Clay 123-169 

Sand 169-181 

Clay 181-230 

Sandy loam 230-359 

Sand 359-380 

Clay 380^20 

Sand 420-160 

Soft shale 460-642 

Sand, water bearing 642-692^ 

655 feet and 7 inches of 8-inch casing used; 36 feet 10-inch strainer between 655 
feet 7 inches and 692 feet 5 inches. 

704. G. H. Nicholls, of Galveston, writes: "The boring to 800 feet took about three 
months. One gas blow-out occurred, and water used in boring was lost for 24 hours 
(absorbed in a porous nonsaturated stratum) between 750 and 800 feet. The 8-inch 
pipe was pulled to 400 feet, and the well caved in; it was then pumped full of clay, 
and boring resumed under 100 pounds pressure on force pump. The 6-inch pipe was 
driven down to 1,500 feet. The driller failed to bail the well. After some weeks 
water rose to top of casing, and I have several times brought oil to the top by dropping 
pieces of iron down. Some months since I had it dynamited. It has now caved in 
around the casing. * * * The well * * * did flow for a short time, but only 
a few gallons per diem. 

705. Section of Stribling well at Sabine Pass, Tex. 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Red clay - 16 

Red sand 16 - 20 

Red clay 20 - 60 

White sand 60 - 80 

Red clay 80 - 140 

Coarse sand 140 - 170 

Blue clay 170 - 185 

White sand 185 - 220 

Soft blue clay 220 - 236 

Fine white sand.. 236 - 250 

Hard blue clay 250 - 260 



288 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel — 

Continued. Feet. 

White sand 260 - 270 

Blue clay 270 - 355 

White sand 355 - 426 

Blue clay 426 - 442 

Interbedded sand and clay 442 - 500 

White sand 500 - 600 

White sand with gravel at bottom 600 - 636 

Blue clay with streaks of sand 636 - 740 

Sand 740 - 764 

Sand and coarse gravel, all colors 764 - 795 

Hard sandstone 795 - 796 

Blue shale 796 - 854 

Hard sandstone 854 - 855. 5 

Blue shale 855.5- 892 

Sandstone 892 - 893 

Fine white sand 893 - 960 

Soft blue clay 960 -1,000 

Fine white sand 1, 000 -1, 260 

Blue and white shale 1, 260 -1, 270 

Fine white sand 1, 270 -1, 360 

White and blue clays 1, 360 -1, 450 

White sand 1, 450 -1, 490 

Solid white and blue shale 1, 490 -1, 500 

706. Section of Texas Oil Co. 's well on the B. F. Howard League, Tex., 3 miles west of 

Sabine Pass. 

Recent deposits, Beaumont clay, and Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Blue and yellow clay 0- 170 

Dark quicksand 170- 300 

Blue clay 300- 730 

Blue clay with asphalt 730- 763 

Blue and yellow clay with oil at bottom 763- 999 

Sand 999-1, 001 

Blue clay 1, 001-1, 039 

Bluish-black sand 1, 039-1, 056 

Blue clay 1, 056-1, 058 

Coarse white sand 1, 058-1, 135 

Blue clay and sand 1, 135-1, 390 

Sand, clay, and shells 1, 390-1, 486 

707. Thomas Wilson, postmaster at Sabine Pass, writes: ''The well was bored in 
1896 or 1897 as an artesian well, but the water had so much iron and other minerals in it 
that it burned everything it flowed over. It could not be used for irrigation purposes; 
hence was conducted into a ditch where it could do no harm. When the oil boom at 
Spindletop broke out in 1900 and the prospects for oil became good the land was 
leased * * * with the hopes that a gusher would be brought in equal to any that 
had come in at Spindletop * * * . " The well was deepened, but failed to find 
any oil. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



289 



KAUFMAN COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 



In that portion of Kaufman County lying within the Tertiary area 
(see PL I, in pocket) the artesian conditions are highly unfavorable. 
The barren marls of the Midway formation constitute the surface. 
Xo Tertiary water horizons are available, and the only possible 
sources of artesian water are those of the Cretaceous, the best of 
which are too deeply buried to be available. Likewise the quality of 
their water is questionable. 

At Mabank, in the extreme southeast corner, where the sands of the 
Wilcox formation, here extremely thin, outcrop, a flow suitable for 
stock was supplied at a depth of 950 feet by a sand in the Upper 
Cretaceous or Nacatoch reservoir. This reservoir, however, will 
not produce flows except in a very small portion of this county. (See 
PI. VII, in pocket.) 

WELL DATA. 

Details of the wells in the county appear in the following table: 

Wells and springs in Kaufman County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Authority. 


Diame- 
ter of 
well. 


Depth 

of 
well. 


:n 


Kemp, 8 miles south 

Mabank, 400 feet southeast 
of post office. 


R. W. Burns 


R. W. Burns 


Inches. 


Feet. 


7?4 


Mabank Land C 


)o 


E. 0. Jones 


8 


1,500. 








No. 


Approxi- 
mate 
elevation 
of surface. 


Head of 
water 
above 

ground. 


Depths to 
principal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


7?8 


Feet. Feet. 


Feet. 






Spring. 


724 


(?)383.. 20 


950 


Nacatoch 


Salty 

i 


Drilled by C. L. Wit] 
drink this water. C 


lerspoon 
ompletec 


. Stock 
I 1905. 



LEON COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

In the northwestern half of Leon County the sands of the Wilcox 
formation form the surface; in the southeastern half they are em- 
bedded beneath the Mount Selman and Cook Mountain formations. 
(See PI. I.) The lower Eocene sands constitute, therefore, the 
available sources of artesian supplies. They will develop flows in 
the valleys but not on the divides. Their depth is indicated on the 
map (PI. VIII, in pocket). Along the north line of the county they 



14926°— wsp 335—14- 



-19 



290 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



supply wells extending to depths from 200 feet above to 200 feet 
below sea level; toward the south they lie deeper and along the 
southern line can be reached from sea level to 600 feet below. 

The only artesian well in Leon County is half a mile northwest of 
Buffalo. It is 1,100 feet deep and yields a flow of soft water from a 
sand in the lower Eocene. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of the county wells appear in the following table: 
Wells and springs in Leon County, Tex. 



No. 



Location. 



Owner. 



Authority. 



Diameter 
of well. 



Depih of 
well. 



725 
726 
727 
728 
729 
730 



Jewett, 4 miles east 

Buflalo. 2 miles southwest. 
Buffalo, h mile northwest. 

Snow, 1 mile east 

Rogers Prairie 

do 



B. D. Dashiells... 

Beecher Jones 

M. Oliver 

I. L. Hillhouse.... 

J. A. Heath 

Palmer & Hunter. 



J. H. Brown. . . 
Beecher Jones.. 
S. W. Bighorn. 
I. L. Hillhouse. 

Postmaster 

do 



Inches. 



Feet. 



1,100. 

103. 
108. 



No. 



725 
726 
727 

728 



729 
730 



Approxi- 
mate ele- 
vation of 
surface. 



Feet. 



347. 



363(7). 



Depths to 
principal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 



Feet. 



103 

40. 60, 108. . 



H ead of 
water above 

( + )or 

below (— ) 

ground. 



Feet. 



+ 4. 



Quality. 



Remarks. 



Iron. 
Soft. 
...do. 



-50. 
-58. 



.do. 



Hard. 
...do. 



Spring; localresort. Flows 8 to 10 gallons a minute. 

Spring. Flows 2 to 3 gallons a mmute. 

Draws from the Wilcox; completed 1901. Flows 

50 gallons a minute. 
Spring. Plenty of similar springs in this vicinity 

are used for stock and for drinking. Flows 10 

gallons a minute. 
Drilled by W. A. Cobb. 
Do. 



LIBERTY COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

Marine Miocene. — The marine Miocene beds can be struck south of 
the Texas & New Orleans Railroad at depths ranging from 600 to 
1,500 feet. These beds will produce flows in the prairie region. 
Their water, however, may not be of desirable quality and should not 
be sought at depths exceeding 1,000 feet. It is indeed doubtful if 
they would yield airr water of merit, for it is believed that all the 
water in the county from depths exceeding 600 to 700 feet will be more 
or less unsuited for domestic use, steaming, and irrigation; and these 
depths would hardly reach the marine Miocene sands. 

Lissie gravel. — The portion of Liberty County lying north of the 
Texas & New Orleans Railroad is occupied by the outcrop of sands 
belonging to the Lissie gravel. To the south these sands are; 
embedded beneath the Beaumont clay, and they constitute the reser- 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN 



291 



voir which supplies the numerous artesian wells on the coast prairie. 
At Liberty they come to within 25 to 60 feet of the surface, but near 
Lake Charlotte it requires a boring 200 to 300 feet deep to reach 
them. 

In the catchment area flows from these sands are confined chiefly 
to the valleys and the bottoms. In the embedded area they produce 
flows on the divides as well as in the bottoms. (See PI. VII, in pocket.) 
Four miles west of Stilson (well No. 740) water from a sand at 300 
feet rises within 17 feet of the surface. At Stilson (well No. 739) a 
sand at 380 feet yields a flow. 

With perhaps the exception of a region 4 miles southwest of Day- 
ton, where salt water has been encountered at 360 feet, and possibly 
of a few other undiscovered mounds, these sands may be expected to 
yield potable supplies over the entire county. 

On the prairie many artesian wells are used for rice irrigation. In 
the timber belt there is less demand for artesian water, the railroads 
and the sawmills being the chief consumers. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Liberty County are given in the following table: 

Wells and springs in Liberty County, Tex. 



No. 



731 
732 
733 
734 
735 
736 

737 

738 



739 
740 



741 

742 
743 



744 
745 



Location. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



Liberty, 1 m i 1 e 

west. 
Liberty, \ mile 

south. 
Liberty, f mile 

southeast. 
Liberty, \ mile 

south. 
Liberty 



Liberty, 300 yards 
southeast. 

Liberty 

Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Ry. 
crossing, at Trin- 
ity River. 

Stilson 

Stilson, 4 miles 
west. 

Stilson, 1 mile 
southwest. 

Stilson, 4 miles 

southwest. 
Stilson 



Stilson, 1 mile 

Stilson, 5 miles 
west. 



Sec. 29, Houston 

& Texas Central 

R. R. 
Sec. 37, Houston 

& Texas Central 

R. R. 



Sec. 138, Gulf, 
Colorado & 
Santa Fe R. R. 
Co. 



Owner. 



C.W.Fisher... 
J. T. Russell... 
do 

Melon Farm.... 



Texas & New Or- 
leans R. R. 
....do 



Judge Nyland 

Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Ry. 



N. B. Sapp 

C. Newman 



Charles Seaburgh. 



W. A. Noble. 



Hill-Brown Rice 
Land & Irriga- 
tion Co. 

C. S. Brown 



Driller. 



C. W. Fisher. . 



Authority. 



C. A. Brown 



.do. 



.do. 



C. S. Brown.. 
C. A. Brown, 



C. W. Fisher. 
T. U. Taylor, a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

Do. a 

William Stocy. 
T. U. Taylor, o 

Do. b 
C. S. Brown, assist- 
ant postm aster. 

Do. 

W. A. Noble. 
Wm. Kennedy, c 



C. S. Brown. 
C. A. Brown. 



a Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 43. 

b Taylor, T. U., Rice irrigation in Texas: Bull. Univ. Texas, No. 16, 1902, p. 20. 

c Hayes, C. W., and Kennedy, William, Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. 
U. S. Geol. Survey No. 212, 1903*, pp. 46-47. 



292 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



]YtlIs ami springs in Liberty ('ounty. Tex. -Continued. 



No. 



Location. 



74* Pelican, l mile 

northeast. 
747 Cleveland 



74s 
749 

750 
751 



72 



753 



754 
755 



756 
757 
758 
759 
760 

761 
762 

763 

764 
765 



.do. 
do. 



do 

Dayton, 4 miles 
southeast, near 
Trinity River. 

Dayton.". 



.do. 



do. 
.do. 



do. 



Dayton, 2 miles 

southeast. 
Clark, 3 miles 

north. 
Rye, 2 to 3 miles 

north. 
Milvkl, 300 feet 

southeast of post 

office. 
Milvid, 1 mile 

south-west. 
Big Creek, 2,000 

feet northwest. 

Big Creek, 8 miles 

southeast. 

Keno 

Walter, 1 mile 

southeast. 



Survey, beadrjght, 
or street. 



NW. 1 S. \ sec. 
125, Houston & 
Texas Central 
R. R. 

J. B. Harrison 
tract, NW. \ S. 
isec. 125, Hous- 
ton <fc Texas 
Central R. R. 



< hvner. 



Driller. 



Pelican Oil Co. 



Gulf, Colorado k 
Santa Fe Rv. 

W.C.McBride.... 

Dallas Oil & De- 
velopment Co. 

C. C. Cherrv 

Bullard <fc Wilson. 



Sun Co. 



Sec. 124, Houston 
& Texas Cen- 
tral R. R. 



.do. 



Taylor-Dayton Co. 



J. M. Guffey Pe- 
troleum Co. 
Ed Pruitt 



Liberty County 

school. 
D. R. Emanuel. . . 



T. B. Allen & Co. 



Miller & Vidor 
Lumber Co. 

Li b er t y Hard- 
wood Lumber 
Co. 

A. G. Lesterjette.. 



Frank Abshier.. . 



J. A. Conklin. 



R. B. Melat. 



do 

W. J. Giles. 



Authoritv 



L. D. McAlister.. 



T. I". Taylor.a 

Postmaster. 
Do. 

Do. 
X. If. Fenneman.b 



Sun Co. 



Do.c 



A. Deussen. 
Wm. Kennedv.d 



Do.* 
J. A. Conklin. 
H. H. Daniels. 
D. R. Emanuel. 
C.S. Vidor. 

Do. 
W. J. Giles. 



Postmaster, Big 

Creek, Tex. 
J. A. Singley./ 
Frank Abshier. 



a Tavlor, T. I"., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Suppiv Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey Xo. 190, 1907, p. 44. 

b Fenneman, N. M., Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survev Xo. 
282, 1906, p. 85. 

c Fuller, M. L., and Sanford, Samuel, Record of deep-well drilling for 1905: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey 
Xo. 298, 1906, p. 166. 

d Haves, C. W ., and Kennedy, William, op. cit., pp. 46-47. 

« Idem, pp. 126-127. 

/ Singley, J. A., Preliminarv report on the artesian wells of the Gulf coastal slope: Fourth Ann. Rept. 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1893, p. 107. 



Xo. 



731 
732 
733 

734 

735 
736 
737 
738 
739 
740 
741 
742 
743 
744 
745 



Diameter of 
well. 



Depth of well. 



Inches 
2 

{= 

6 

6." '.....'.'.'. 

8." .... .'.'.'. 

10to7.... 
11 to8.... 

9tof 

8 

9'io'i..'.'.'. 



232. 
290. 
300. 
240. 
245. 
576. 
800. 
365. 
300. 
380. 
400. 
415. 
400. 
487. 
400. 
400. 



Feet. 



Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 



Feet. 



28(?). 



67. . . . 

85.... 
±72.. 
(?)60. 



Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 



232. 



Feet. 



360 

240 to 290. 



300 

100 

320 

447 to 487. 

300 

300 



Head of water 

above (+) or 

below ( — ) 

ground. 



Yield per 
minute. 



Pump. Flow. 



Galls. 



Feet. 

+34 

Flows 

do 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

....do 

Xo flow. . . 

Flows 

-17 

-17 

-8 

-10 

-16 700.... 

-18 700.... 



800... 
800... 



Gaih. 
17. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



293 





Wells and springs in Liberty County, Tex — 


-Continued. 






No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


746 


Inches. 

8 . 


Feet. 
1,200 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Galls. 


Galls. 


747 




368 






Flows (?) 






748 




1,200 












749 




1,300 












750 




1,300 












751 




670+ 












75? 




775 




420 to 440 












1,763 












754 




1,508 












755 




1,200 


100 


28 to 36, 320 to 
326. 








756 




1,900 












8 


1,014 




/60to300 








757 


\738 


+50 










Spring 




Large. 


758 








759 




do 










2. 


760 


4 


659 




550 to 659 

485 to 508 

/200 (?) 


+30 






761 


4 


585 




+40 




300. 


76? 


4 


608 




+55 










662 




>Strong flow 






763 


\640to662 

90 




764 




700 




—50... . .- 


21 




765 


10 


1,225 


±40 


1,000 


—10 





















No. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


731 




Hard 


Completed, 1895. 


73? 








733 








734 






Two wells. 


735 






Used in locomotive boilers. 


736 








737 


Lissie 


Soft 


Used for rice irrigation; completed, May, 1895. 
Used in locomotive boilers. 


738 


do 




739 






Cypress log struck at a depth of 360; water used 


740 


Lissie 


Soft 


for rice irrigation. 
Used for rice irrigation. 


741 


do 


Some sulphur 

Soft 


Used for rice irrigation; completed, 1902. 


74? 


...do 


Used for rice irrigation; completed, 1904. 


743 


..do 




Two wells. 


744 


...do 




Formerly used for rice irrigation; abandoned; 




...do 




water vein 100 feet thick; supply abundant; 
completed, 1902. 
Used for rice irrigation; completed, 1907. 


746 






747 




(a) 




748 






Drilled for oil. 


749 






Do. 


750 






Do. 


751 




Strong salt water 
charged with 
hydrogen sul- 
phide found be- 
low 360 feet. 


Oil test well; Bullard & Wilson well No. 5; 6 wells 


752 


Lissie 


have been put down in this locality in search 
of oil. 

West Liberty well No. 2, producing oil at 775 feet; 

completed, 1905. 
Oil test well; no oil. Known as Sun Co.'s Quin- 


753 






754 






tette No. 1 well. Completed, 1905. 
Oil test well. 


755 


Lissie 




Drilled for oil; rock salt at bottom. Well No. l.(?) 


756 






Drilled for oil. 


757 


Lissie 


Soft... 


Drilled for oil. In river bottom. Completed, 

1904. 
Concord Spring; temperature, 60° F. 
Spring. ,f We have 15 to 20 springs 2 or 3 miles 

south of Rye; many are impregnated with 

mineral matter." 
Completed, 1907. 
Completed, 1907; water used in boilers. 


758 




do 


759 




Sulphur and iron.. 


760 


Dewitt 


761 


do 


(°) - 


762 


do 


Soft 


Completed, 1907; used in boilers. 
fAt Davis Hill. Drilled for oil. Reservoir 640 to 
\ 662 carries salt water. 
Abandoned; no water below 90 feet. 




/Lissie 


Good 


763 


\Dewitt(?) 


Sulphur 


764 


Lissie 




765 


Marine Miocene 


Sulphur 


Drilled for oil; completed, 1904. 







a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



2\)4 GBOLOG? AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OE 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

731. Section of well ouned by C. W. Fisher, 1 mile west of Liberty, Tex. 

(Furnished bv C. W. Fisher.] 

Feet. 

Clay with layers of sand; supplies surface wells 0-40 

Lissie gravel : 

Sand and gravel 40-200 

Blue clay 200-230 

Water-bearing sand 230- 

Thickness of water-bearing sand not known; well was drilled 8 feet into it without 

going through; casing reaches into it only 2 feet. 

738. Section of Gulf , Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well, at crossing of Trinity 

River, Tex. 

Feet. 

Red clay 0- 8 

Sand 8- 38 

Lissie gravel : 

Clay 38- 60 

Rock and clay 60-104 

Quicksand 104-117 

Rock 117-119 

Clay 119-121 

Rock 121-133 

Clay 133-145 

Rock 145-151 

Coarse sand 151-163 

Soapstone 163-194 

Rock 194-196 

Sand 196-203 

Rock 203-210 

Clay 210-220 

Rock 220-240 

Water sand 240-290 

Clay 290-300 

743. Section of Hill-Brown Rice Land & Irrigation Co.'s well on sec. 138, Gulf Coast 

dr Santa Fe Railway Co.'s lands, at Stilson, Tex. 

Feet. 

Yellow clay 0-104 

Lissie gravel : • 

Quicksand 104-123 

Hard clay 123-129 

Sand 129-132 

Hard clay and lime pebbles 132-174 

Soft clay 174-184 

Sand 184-194 

Hard blue clay 194-238 

Soft blue clay 238-244 

Soft blue clay with lime 244-263 

Hard blue clay 263-276 

Soft blue clay 276-292 

Hard blue clay 292-297 

Soft blue clay 297-314 

Hard blue clav 314-334 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 295 

Lissie gravel — Continued. Feet. 

Fine gray sand 334-349 

Hard blue clay 349-358 

Yellow clay and sand 358-407 

Very hard yellow clay 407-412 

Yellow sand and clay 412-447 

Coarse gravelly sand to bottom (water) 447-487 

745. Section of well 5 miles west of Stilson, Tex. 

[Furnished by C. A. Brown.] Feet. 

Clay 0-250 

Lissie gravel : 

Quicksand 250-300 

Fine sharp water sand 300-400 

Blue clay 400- 

747. Section of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well, at Cleveland, Tex. 

Feet. 

Soil 0- 4 

Lissie gravel: 

Yellow clay 4- 24 

Yellow sand 24-100 

Clay 100-108 

Sand 108-131 

Rock 131-132 

Clay and coarse sand 132-140 

White sandrock 140-142 

Yellow clay 142-160 

White sandrock 160-161 

Yellow sand 161-165 

White sandrock 165-166 

Yellow clay 166-236 

Sand 236-246 

Clay 246-288 

Open water sand 288-367 

Rock 367-368 

753. 1 Section of Sun Co.'s Quintette well No. 1, J.B. Harrison tract, NW. \S.\ sec. 125, 
Houston & Texas Central Railroad survey , at Dayton, Tex. 

[Authority, Sun Co.] Feet. 

Yellow surface clay 0- 20 

Blueshale 20- 33 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene (?), Fleming (?) clay, and 
Catahoula (?) sandstone: 

Whitesand 33- 53 

Sand and clay 53- 158 

White quicksand 158- 171 

Blueshale 171- 180 

Whitesand 180- 186 

Blueshale 186- 193 

Gumbo 193- 240 

Sand and gravel 240- 325 

Gumbo 325- 347 

1 Fuller, M L., and Sanford, Samuel, Record of deep-well drilling for 1905: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey 
No. 298, 1906, pp. 280-281. 



296 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Lissie gravel, marine Miocene (?), Fleming (?) clay, and 

Catahoula (?) sandstone — Continued. Feet. 

Sand, putty sand 347- 358 

Sand and gravel 358- 437 

Shale 437- 443 

Sand 443- 465 

Gumbo 465- 481 

Sand 481- 496 

Gumbo 496- 513 

Sand, putty sand 513- 527 

Gumbo 527- 565 

Sand, putty sand 565- 597 

Shale 597- 601 

Sand 601- 613 

Gumbo 613- 621 

Shale, rock, and clay 621- 660 

Shale 660- 672 

Hard rock 672- 673 

Gumbo 673- 679 

Sand 679- 705 

Shale 705- 730 

Gumbo 730- 795 

Rock 795- 799 

Gumbo 799- 806 

Shale , 806- 818 

Gumbo 818- 845 

Yellow clay 845- 855 

Gumbo " 855- 875 

Clay 875- 884 

Gumbo 884- 890 

Sand, putty sand 890- 895 

Limestone 895- 896 

Sand, putty sand 896- 904 

Coarse sand 904- 910 

Gumbo 910- 933 

Sand, putty sand 933- 942 

Shale 942- 958 

Rock 958- 961 

Gumbo and shale 961-1, 025 

Shale, rock, and shale 1, 025-1, 036 

Rock 1 , 036-1, 038 

Shale 1, 038-1 , 060 

Rock 1, 060-], 065 

Gumbo and shale 1,065-1,112 

Shale and rock 1 , 112-1, 124 

Limestone 1, 124-1, 126 

Sand, putty sand 1, 126-1, 133 

Limestone 1, 133-1, 134 

Brown and blue shale 1, 134-1, 167 

(No entry) 1, 167-1, 245 

Bowlders (concretions) and rock 1, 245-1, 249 

Gumbo 1 , 249-1, 290 

Shale 1, 290-1, 295 

Rock and clay 1, 295-1, 299 

Gumbo 1,299-1,306 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



297 



392-1 
398-1 
406-1 
420-1 
454-1 
525-1 
552-1 
591-1 
598-1 
630-1 
632-1 
640-1 
650-1 
680-1 
683-1 
691-1 
693-1 
705-1 
718-1 



392 
398 
406 
420 
454 
525 
552 
591 
598 
630 
632 
640 
650 
680 
683 
691 
693 
705 
718 
763 



Lissie gravel, marine Miocene (?), Fleming (?) clay, and 
Catahoula (?) sandstone — Continued. Feet 

Shale 1. 306-1 

Hard sand 1 

Shale 1 

Gumbo 1 

Shale 1 

Very tough gumbo 1 

Hard shale 1 

Shale and gumbo 1 

White shell and rock 1 

Blue shale 1 

Soft rock 1 

Gumbo 1 

Hard blue sand with strata of rock 1 

Blue gumbo 1 

Rock 1 

Shale 1 

Hard sandstone 1 

Blue shale and blue sand, very slight show of oil 1 

Blue shale and thin strata of rock 1 

Blue shale 1 

"Dry" hole. 

754. Section of well at Dayton, Tex. 

[Furnished bv William Kennedy.] 

Feet. 

Yellow clay 0- 170 

Sand 170- 180 

Blue clay 180- 192 

Blue shale 192- 205 

Blue clay 205- 220 

Coarse sand 220- 248 

Blue shale 248- 256 

Sand 256- 370 

Joint clay 370- 381 

Sand 381- 389 

Gravel 389- 393 

Gumbo : 393- 416 

Brown shale 416- 424 

Blue gumbo 424- 452 

Sand 452- 518 

Gumbo 518- 530 

Sand and gravel 530- 545 

Rock 545- 546 

Sand. 546- 576 

Gravel and rock 576- 590 

Sand 590- 628 

Rock 628- 633 

Gumbo 633- 649 

Rock 649- 656 

Gumbo 656- 674 

Brown shale (oil) 674- 676 

Gumbo 676- 690 

White pipe clay 690- 708 



298 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Feet 

Gumbo 708- 

Rock 721- 

Gumbo 729- 



Shale 784- 

Rock 791- 

Gumbo 793- 

Sand 799- 

Gumbo 805- 

White limerock 895- 

Sandroek 903- 

Hard shale 904- 

Limerook 906- 

Hard sandrock 908- 

Gypsum and sandrock 916- 

Gypstim 922- 

Blue shale, sandrock. gypsum 947- 

Sandrock and gypsum 968- 

Sandrock, show of oil 972- 

Sandrock 982- 

Sandrock and gypsum 995-1, 

Sandrock 1, 012-1, 

Sandrock and gypsum 1, 019-1, 

Lignite (?) 1, 031-1, 

Sandrock, gypsum, and sulphur 1, 037-1 

Sandrock 1, 058-1 

Gypsum 1, 080-1, 

Rock, gypsum, and sulphur 1, 084-1, 

Hard sandrock 1, 088-1 

Gypsum and sulphur 1 , 095-1 

Sandrock and gypsum 1, 100-1, 

Sandrock, gypsum, and sulphur 1, 114-1, 

Gypsum and sand 1, 138-1, 

Gypsum, rock, and sulphur 1, 158-1, 

Sandrock and gypsum 1, 163-1, 

Gypsum and sulphur 1, 228-1, 

Gypsum and salt 1, 240-1, 

Sal t (pure) 1, 420-1, 

The formations penetrated represent the Lissie, marine Miocene, and possibly the 
Fleming and Catahoula. 

755. Section of Taylor-Dayton Co.'s well on sec. 124, at Dayton, Tex. 

Feet. 

Black dirt 0- 6 

Blue clay 6- 28 

Water sand 28- 36 

Blue marl 36- 73 

Quicksand 73- 85 

Blue clay 85- 100 

Bowlders (sandstone) 100- 102 

Quicksand 102- 141 

Blue marl 141- 207 

Bowlders 207- 209 



721 

729 
784 
791 
793 
799 
805 
895 
903 
904 
906 
908 
916 
922 
947 
968 
972 
982 
995 
,012 
,019 
,031 
,037 
,058 
,080 
,084 
,088 
,095 
,100 
,114 
,138 
,158 
,163 
,228 
,240 
,420 
,508 



SOUTHEASTER X TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 299 

Feet. 

Coarse quicksand 209- 229 

Blue marl and bowlders 229- 232 

Blue marl 232- 238 

Bowlders 238- 241 

Blue marl ; gas at 244 feet 241- 273 

Quicksand 273- 320 

Water sand 320- 326 

Quicksand 326- 329 

Blue marl 329- 

Record wanting - 600 

Limestone 600- 800 

Rock salt 800-1, 200 

The upper 600 feet represents the Lissie gravel. The lower 400 feet comprises mate- 
rials of secondary origin formed along a fault plane. 

757. Mr. J. A. Conklin, driller, of Alta Loma, Tex., says: "This well was bored as 
a prospect hole for oil. The water strata were so numerous and thick that it was 
impossible to pass through them. The water is not used for anything except to water 
stock. It is nice pleasant drinking water." 

760. Section of T. B. Allen & Co.'s well at Milvid, Tex. 

[Furnished by Mr. C. S. Vidor.] 

Lissie gravel and Dewitt formation : Feet. 

Clay 0-10 

Sand 10-80 

Clay and gravel 80-100 

Sand 100-140 

Clay and gravel 140-160 

Sand 160-180 

Rock 180-182 

Clay and gravel 182-188 

Rock 188-191 

Gravel 191-210 

Rock and sand 210-240 

Clay and gravel 240-400 

Sand 400-420 

Clay and gravel 420-470 

Thin layers "rocksand" 470-482 

Shale 482-520 

Clay and gravel 520-550 

Water sand 550-659 

761. Section of Miller & Vidor Lumber Co.'s well, $ mile southwest of Milvid, Tex. 

Lissie gravel and Dewitt formation: Feet. 

Sand 0-140 

Red clay and gravel 140-280 

Rock 280-282 

Red clay and gravel 282-430 

Rock../. 430-432 

Very hard clay 432-532 

Water sand 532-585 

Rock 585- 

42 feet of screen. 



300 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

762. Section of Liberty Hardwood Lumber Co.' 8 well, at Big Creek, Tex. 

[Furnished by W. J. Giles, driller.] 

Lissie gravel and Dewitt formation: Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Surface sand 0-107 9 

Yellow clay 107 9-138 9 

White sand 138 9-156 9 

Hard rock 156 9-160 11 

Blue gumbo 160 11-206 11 

White sand 206 11-218 11 

Blue gumbo 218 11-338 9 

Rock 338 9-341 9 

Blue gumbo 341 9-354 2 

Bowlders 354 2-372 2 

Blue gumbo 372 2-424 9 

Rock 424 9-425 9 

Bluegumbo 425 9-427 1 

Rock 427 1-429 1 

Blue gumbo 429 1-437 1 

Rock 437 1-438 1 

Blue gumbo 438 1-478 1 

Rock 478 1-480 6 

Blue gumbo 480 6-485 ,6 

Water sand (flowing fine) 485 6-508 2 

Rock 508 2-588 2 

Bluegumbo , 588 2-608 2 

763. Section of Lester jette well No. 1, at Davis Hill, 8 miles southeast of Big Creek, Tex. 

[Furnished by William Kennedy.] 

Feet. 

Top soil 0- 12 

Lissie gravel : 

Showing of dead oil ; shale and sand 12-185 

Blue gumbo 185-285 

Shale and packed sand 285-380 

Gumbo; showing oil 380-420 

Sand and shale 420-570 

Gumbo 570-575 

Oil sand (blow-out) 575-593 

Gumbo 593-640 

Sand with salt water 640-662 

LIMESTONE COUNTY. 
GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

Only the eastern half of Limestone County comes properly within 
the purview of this paper, the western half lying in the Cretaceous 
area. The clays and limestones of the Midway formation outcrop 
in a north-south belt about 10 miles wide through the central portion 
of the county and are embedded to the east beneath the sands of the 
Wilcox formation. (See PI. I, in pocket.) 

Cretaceous rocks. — In the northwest corner it is possible to tap the 
Woodbine sand of the Cretaceous, but in the eastern half of the county 
this sand, if present, would lie too deep to be available. 



SOUTHEASTEKN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



301 



The Nacatoch reservoir supplies the central portion of the county. 
(See PL VII, in pocket.) Water-bearing sands in it have been entered 
5 miles northwest of Groesbeck (well No. 772) and at 512 feet at 
Mexia (well No. 766). 

Wilcox formation. — Five to ten miles east of the eastern line of the 
Midway outcrop the sands of the Wilcox formation will supply water 
to pumping wells, but it is improbable that they will anywhere yield 
flows, though they may do so in a few spots where the main ground- 
water table is considerably higher than the well curbs. Such is 
doubtless the origin of the flows reported in the very shallow wells 
(No. 774) near Groesbeck. Such occurrences will not be common 
and most of them will be confined to the extreme eastern corner of the 
county. 

Where the Wilcox is 300 to 400 feet thick (see PL VII, in pocket) it 
will yield abundant supplies to pumping wells. 

Most Wilcox water will be potable and adapted for steaming. In 
places, howevei, sulphur water may be expected. 

A fault of small throw crosses the county in a northeast-southwest 
direction. (See fig. 6, p. 85.) This fault has broken the continuity 
of some of the sand lenses that occur in the Navarro formation of the 
Cretaceous, and it is probable that the gas in the Mexia district is 
struck in these discontinuous and locally warped sands on the east 
side of the fault. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Limestone County are given in the following 

table: 

Wells and springs in Limestone County , Tex. 



No. 



766 
767 

768 
769 
770 
771 

772 
773 
774 
775 



Location. 



Mexia 

Mexia, 8 miles southwest 

Tehuacana, 2 miles west 

Tehuacana, \ mile northeast . 
Tehuacana 

Groesbeck, 4 miles north 

Groesbeck, 5 miles northwest 

do 

Groesbeck, \ mile southwest. 
Cooledge 



Owner. 



Mexia Light & 

Water Co. 

W.T M yes 

A.A.Davis 

Mrs. R . M. Love. . . 
Sulphur Springs 

Oil Co. 
A. W. Kennedy... 
Mrs . L . A . Kennedy 
W.H.Wilson...:. 
W.T.Mayes 



Driller. 



Authority. 



Will G. Reynolds. 



J. D. Dillard 

cVp." Wilson".:!!" 



N. H. Darton.o 

Mexia Light & Water Co. 

Will G. Reynolds. 
A.A.Davis. 
Mrs. R. M. Love. 
A. Deussen. 

S. P. Hurley. 
A. W. Kennedy. 
W. H. Wilson. 
Postmaster. 



No. 



Diameter of well. 



i\. 



Inches. 



766 
767 
768 

769 .. 

770 I.. 

771 .. 

772 L. 

773 .. 

774 2 

775 L 



Depth of well. 



Depths to principal 

water-bearing 

strata. 



Head of water above 

( + ) or below ( — ) 

ground. 



L333... 
Spring. 

300 

Spring. 
do. 



Feet. 



Feet. 



Fret. 



512. 



300. 



-30. 



1,100+ 

1,412 99 to 144. 

Spring ! 

80 

400 



No flow . 



Flows. 



Flow 

per 

minute. 



Galls. 

500. 

2*. 

None. 



a Darton, N. H., Preliminary list of deep borings in the L nited States: Water-Sunply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 149, 1905, p. 150. 



302 GEOLOGY AB9 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wells and springs in Limestone County, Tex. — Continued, 



No. 


Source of supply. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


766 


Nacatoch 




Oil and gas test well; abandoned. 

Springfield Spring; water supply for Mexia. 

Completed, 1907. 

John Boyd Springs; 5 springs. 

Love Spring. 

Oil test well; completed, 1907. 

Drilled for oil" abandoned 


7f>7 




Hard 




Nacatoch 




769 




Hard. . 


770 




.. .do. . 


771 






77? 


Nacatoch 


Potable 


773 




Sulphur. . . 


Kennedy Spring. 

Completed, 1907. Another flowing well 200 feet 
away is 2 inches in diameter, 41 feet in depth: 
completed, 1906. Both wells are in a valley. 


774 


Wilcox 


do 


77o 


Cretaceous 













DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

772. Section of well owned by A. W. Kennedy, 5 miles northwest o/Groesbeck, Tex. 

[Supplied bv S. P. Hurley.] 

Feet. 

Soil 0- 15 

Midway formation : 

Limestone 15- 99 

Nacatoch sand : 

Water sand 99-144 

Navarro formation and Taylor marl: 

Shale 144-1, 412 

MADISON COUNTY. 
GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The Yegua formation outcrops over all of Madison County except 
a narrow belt along the northwestern line, where the Cook Mountain 
formation comes to the surface. (See PL I, in pocket.) 

Lower Eocene. — The lower Eocene reservoir is embedded beneath 
the entire county and will probably yield flows in the lowlands adja- 
cent to Trinity River. (See PL VIII, in pocket.) Along the north- 
ern line wells to develop water in these sands would have to reach 
from sea level to 600 feet below. They will have to go deeper toward 
the south, and along the Grimes County line will have to go 200 
to 1,500 feet below sea level. The quality of the water obtainable 
is problematical. Wells not over 1,000 feet deep may give potable 
water sufficiently free from mineral matter to be useful for steaming. 
Up to 1908 the reservoir had not been exploited. 

Yegua formation. — In Madison County the Yegua formation is 
nowhere under cover. The basal sands would probably produce 
flows in the Trinity bottoms (see PL VII) but in the northern half 
would supply wells only 25 to 100 feet deep. Along the southern 
line wells ranging in depth from the surface to 500 feet below sea 
level will draw from these sands. Most of the Yegua water in Madi- 
son County will be potable. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



303 



WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Madison County are given in the following table : 

Wells and springs in Madison County, Tex. 



No. 



Location. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Authority. 



776 i Hennessey, 1 mile 

southwest. 

777 Normangee 



778 High Prairie 

779 High Prairie, 600 
yards north of 
post office. 



T. M. B. Greene 

survey. 
William Walker 

League. 



J. I. Darter 

John Windsor . . . 

W. H. May 

Dave H. Shapira. 



William Williams. 



Frank Steele. 



J. I. Darter. 

S. T. Windsor. 

Postmaster. 
W. H. May. 



No. 



Diame- 
ter of 
well. 



Depth of 
well. 



Depths 
to prin- 
cipal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 



Head of 
water 
below 

ground. 



Pumps 

per 
minute. 



Source of water. 



Quality. 



Remarks. 



776 

777 



778 
779 



Inches. 



Feet. 



Feet. 



Feet. 



Galls. 



10. 



105. 



47, 102. 



45. 



4*. 



Cook Mountain. . 



Soft.. 
Hard. 



112. 
112. 



55,80... 



30. 



Yegua. 



Sulphur. , 



Buck Horn Spring. 

Used for boiler pur- 
poses; completed 
1907. 

Completed, 1905. 



MARION COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

In Marion County the Wilcox formation outcrops in the lowlands 
and in the valleys. The divides, many of which are iron-ore-capped 
hills and plateaus, are occupied largely by the Mount Selman for- 
mation, which probably at one time mantled the entire county, but 
which has been largely removed by erosion. 

Cretaceous rocks. — The Nacatoch reservoir can be reached in wells 
going down 1,200 to 1,500 feet below sea level but would probably 
yield water salty and unfit for use. 

Lower Eocene. — The lower Eocene reservoir constitutes the only 
available source of potable water. The sands dip gently to the 
south. Wells can be developed south of Jefferson at depths from 100 
feet above sea level to 500 feet below. The area of flow, however, is 
confined to the bottoms and the lowlands. (See PI. VIII, in pocket.) 

The only flowing well in this county is at Jefferson (No. 780). It 
probably draws from a sand in the Wilcox formation. The water 
(see analysis, table facing p. 110) is good for drinking and for irriga- 
tion but is not good for boilers. 



304 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



WELL DATA. 

The following table gives data on the wells of Marion County: 

Wells in Marion County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Approxi- n . o c tn 
Diameter Depth of mate ele- nrin Xillr 
of well. of well. vat ion of ]%™V*\T*\T 
surface. 1 bearmg strata. 


780 


Jefferson, \ mile north 


J.J 


I. Deware 


Inches. F((t. Fat. Feet. 
4 , 800 190 i 300,500,800... 








No. 


Head of wa- 
ter above 

(+)or 
below ( — ) 

ground. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


780 


Feet. 
+2 


Wilcox 


Softo 


Cannel coal at bottom: pomnleted . 1887. Anthorit v. 










J. M. Deware: drilled by Diamond Drill Co. 



a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 



780. W. T. Adkin8 reports that the well shows strong indications of gas. lie 
adds: "The sample of coal which came up last was of good quality. Unfortunately, 
it had no roofing. No solid rock was gone through, as I now remember the different 
cores taken out." 

Kennedy ' gives the following data: "The drill passed through alternate strata of 
sands, clays, and lignites to a depth of 802 feet. Three heavy beds of lignite and a 
number of smaller ones are said to have been passed." 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

In Montgomery County the geologic conditions are favorable for 
the occurrence of artesian wells. 

The Fleming clay outcrops in the extreme northwest corner, but 
is buried to the south beneath the Dewitt formation, and this in turn 
is buried beneath the Lissie gravel, which constitutes the surface 
formation in the remainder of the county. (See PI. I, in pocket.) 

The Catahoula sandstone does not come to the surface anywhere 
within the limits of this county, but it is embedded beneath the 
whole of it at depths varying from 100 to 2,300 feet below the sur- 
face. (See PI. VIII, in pocket.) 

The water-bearing formations available are the Catahoula, Dewitt, 
and Lissie. 

Catahoula sandstone. — Flows, mostly potable, can probably be 
obtained from the Catahoula over the entire southern half of the 

1 Kennedy, William, The Eocene Tertiary east of the Brazos River: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 
1895, pp. 13&-137. 



SOUTHEASTERN" TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN". 



305 



county and in the lowlands of the northern half. In the northwest 
corner wells 150 to 300 feet deep will reach these sands, but along 
the Harris County line borings of 800 to 1,200 feet will be required. 
The well at Bobbin (No. 784) probably derives its water from these 
sands. The supply is potable. 

Dewitt formation. — Water from the Dewitt formation may be had 
over practically the entire county, at depths ranging from 20 to 50 
feet in the northwestern corner to 800 to 1,700 feet along the Harris 
County line. Flows from these sands may be had south of the lati- 
tude of Tamina. The water in most wells will be potable. (See 
PI. IX, in pocket.) 

Lissie gravel. — The sands of the Lissie gravel supply the portion 
of the county lying east of a line through Elmina and Waller. Along 
this line wells may be completed in these sands at 20 to 30 feet and 
along the Harris County line at 20 to 600 feet. Flows from this 
formation can not be expected except in wells 500 or 600 feet deep 
in the lowlands along the Harris County line. (See PI. VII, in 
pocket.) Most of the wells will yield potable water suitable for use 
in boilers. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Montgomery County are given in the following 
table: 

Wells and springs in Montgomery County, Tex. 



No. 



Location. 



Survey, headlight, 
or street. 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Authority. 



781 

782 

783 

784 
785 

786 

787 
<88 
/89 
790 
791 
792 
793 



Fostoria, 400 yards 
northeast of post 
office. 

Bobbin, 1 mile 
south. 

Bobbin 



do 

Willis, i mile north. 

Timber, 350 yards 

northeast of post 

office. 
Wilburton, 1 mile 

northeast. 
Esperanza,. J mile 

west. 
Waukegan 



Conroe 

Tamina 

Dacus, 1 mile west. 
Splendora 



G. W. Louis sur- 
vey. 

M. Hinch survey, 
northeast corner. 



Foster Lumber Co. 



H. B. Beckworth 

Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Ry. 

Texas Oil Co 

M. C Leslie. 



W. J. Giles. 



Peach River Lum- 
ber Co. 



Gust Warnecke. 



W. T. Spiller 

Keystone Mills Co. 

Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Ry. 

Dick Naylor Oil 
Co. 

Trinity & Brazos 
Valley Ry. 

Producers Oil Co.. 



J. H. Lee 

Layne & Bowler. 



Foster Lumber Co. 

H.B. Beckworth. 

T. U. Taylor. « 

E. J. Minnock. 
Clinton Bybee. 

G. Otis Battle, su. 
perintendent. 

Dr. O. E. Robert- 
son. 
W. T. Spiller. 

Postmaster at 

Waukegan. 
T. U. Taylor.b 

J. H. Lee.< 

Walter T. Taylor, 
postmaster. 

Oil Investors Jour- 
nal. 



a Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, pp. 44-45. 

b Idem, pp. 45-46. 

c Fuller, M. L., and Sanford, Samuel, Record of deep-well drilling for 1905: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey 
No. 298, 1906, p. 166. 



14926°— wsp 335—14- 



-20 



306 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wells and sprhigs in Montgomery County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


781 


Inches. 
9 


Feet. 
806 


Feet. 


Feet. 
766 to 806 


Feet. 
+10 


Galls. 
260.... 


Galls. 


78? 












783 




480 

447 


1 114 to 134 


No flow 






7^4 




Flows 




300. 


785 














786 


10 


185... 


?10 (?) 


145 


-?? 


240.... 




787 


4 


1,?00 


+?0 




7^ 


7 


610 




76. 140. etc 


-10 






789 


8 


190 




No flow 






790 


a 


1 93fi 




1182 to 193 






10 


1,?88 




\577to64? 


Flows 






791 








79? 




?00 


300 




No flow 


70 




793 




1,24?+ 























No. 


Source of supply. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


781 


Dewitt 




Used in steam boilers. Completed in 1907. 


78? 




Sulphur 


Spring. 


783 


Dewitt 


(0) 


Used in locomotive boilers. 


7,84 


Catahoula 




Oil test well; water suitable for drinking. 


785 




Soft 


Spring; water used for locomotive boilers. 


786 


Lissie 




Water is lowered in well when north wind blows; 


787 




Soff. 


pumping lowers well 10 feet; used for boiler 
purposes; completed, 1904. 
Drilled for oil. 


788 


Lissie and Dewitt 




Completed, 1901. 


789 




Soft 


Wsed in boilers. Completed, 1907. 




/Lissie (?) 




790 


\Dewitt (?) 


(a) 


Used in locomotive boilers. 


791 






Oil test well: completed, 1905. 


79? 




Soft 


Used in locomotive boilers. 


793 






Oil test well; completed, 1907; abandoned. 











a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 
DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

781. Section of Foster Lumber Co.'s well at Fostoria, Tex. 
[By Harry Bell.] 

Lissie gravel and Dewitt formation: Feet. 

Sand and gravel 0- 60 

Red clay 60-100 

Gravel and gumbo 100-150 

Packed sand 150-175 

Gray rock 175-195 

Gumbo 195-220 

Packed sand 220-247 

Gumbo 247-382 

Sand 382-392 

Gumbo 392^19 

Gravel 419-440 

Gravel gumbo 440-458 

Gumbo 458-534 

Gravel 534-564 

Gumbo 564-586 

Rock 586-588 

Bowlders 588-596 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



307 



Lissie gravel and Dewitt forma tion — Continued. Feet. 

Gumbo 596-606 

Shale gumbo 606-766 

Sand gravel, water-bearing 766-806 

Rock 806- 

783. Section of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well at Bobbin, Tex. 

Feet. 

Soil 0- 2 

Dewitt formation, Fleming clay, and Catahoula (?) sandstone: 

Clay 2- 12 

Sand 12-28 

Clay 28- 78 

Quicksand 78- 90 

Sandstone 90-101 

Clay 101-114 

Water sand 114-134 

Clay 134-234 

Sand 234-264 

Rock 264-309 

Clay 309-343 

Rock 343-347 

Slate 347-383 

Rock 383-390 

Slate 390-454 

Rock 454-457 

Slate 457-480 

790. Section of Gulf , Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well at Conroe, Tex. 

Lissie gravel : Feet. 

Red clay 0-12 

Rock 12-13 

Red clay 13- 69 

Sand 69-89 

Red clay 89-133 

Hard yellow clay 133-153 

Joint clay 153-182 

Water sand 182-193 

Soft clay ." 193-248- 

Dewitt formation and Fleming clay: 

Hard clay 248-265 

Rock 265-267 

Hard clay 267-280 

Rock 280-285 

Dry sand bed 285-297 

Clay 297-340 

Rock 340-343 

Clay 343-363 

Rock 363-365 

Blue clay 365-489 

Light clay 489-500 

Soft clay 500-575 

Rock 575-577 

Water sand 577-642 

Blue clay 642-680 



308 



(JEOLOUY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Dewitt formation and Fleming clay — Continued. 

Water sand 

Clay 

Soapstone 

Red clay * .< . . . 

Soapstone 

Clay 

Rock 

Clay 

Rock 

Sand 

Red clay 

Soapstone 

Rock 

Sand 

Soapstone 

Rock 

Clay 

Rock 

Clay 

Sand 

Rock 



740 
790 
831 
888 
924 
976 
978 



791. Section oj Dick Xaylor Oil Co.'s well at Tamina, 
[By J. H. Lee, driller.] 
Lissie gravel. Dewitt formation, and (?) Fleming clay: 

Fine pinkish sand 

Fine red sand 

White sand 

Yellowish sand and gravel 

Yelkmish clay 

Yellowish sand 

Yellowish clay 

Yellowish and pinkish clay 

Yellowish sand and clay 



Feet. 

680- 

740- 

790- 

831- 

888- 

924- 

976- 

978-1, 003 
1, 003-1, 004 
1, 004-1, 008 
1, 008-1, 033 
1, 033-1, 073 
1, 073-1, 075 
1. 075-1, 125 
1, 125-1, 169 
1, 169-1, 170 
1, 170-1, 190 
1, 190-1, 192 
1, 192-1, 212 
1, 212-1, 234 
1, 234-1, 236 

Tex. 



Feet 

1- 

3- 

30- 

50- 

73- 

219- 



3 

30 

50 

73 

219 

248 



248-1, 205 
1, 205-1, 246 
1, 246-1, 288 



MILAM COUNTY. 
Milam County is not included in the territory covered in this report, 
but the following partial list of wells is appended for the light they 
throw on the artesian conditions in the neighboring county of Rob- 
ertson : 

Partial list of wells in Milam County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Authority. 


J^' Depth 
ame- Jr 


Depths 
to prin- 
cipal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 


Height of 
water above 

( + )or 

below (—; 

ground. 


Source of 
water. 


Qual- 
ity. 


794 
795 


/Baileyville,3} 
\ miles west. 
Branchville... 
f Branchville, 4 
\ miles east. 

Mav3field .... 


Vr. J. Estes.... 
A. J. Raymond 
}j. A. Peele 

A. E.Bradv... 


R. T. Hill a 
do.o 


In. 


Feet. 
831... 
700... 
530... 

1,356. 


Feet. 
/500.... 
\600.... 

250.... 
/200.... 
\320.... 
/850.... 


Feet. 

JNoflow... 

-6 

>No flow... 
'....do 


Nacatoch . 
Wilcox.... 
do.... 

VNacatoch . 


Salty. 
Soft 


796 


do. a 

do.a 




Do. 


m 


\1,150.. 


-34 


Salty. 



a Hill, R. T., Geography anl geologv of the Black and Grand prairies. Tex.: Twent v-second .Ann. Rept. 
- Oeol. Survey, p. 7. 1901, pt. M6, 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



309 



NACOGDOCHES COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The greater portion of Nacogdoches County is occupied by the 
outcrop of the Cook Mountain formation, but in the region adjacent 
to Attoyac Bayou the sands of the underlying Wilcox formation 
come to the surface. The Yegua outcrops in the extreme southern 
portion of the county. (See PL I, in pocket.) 

Lower Eocene. — The lower Eocene sands will supply potable water 
over the entire county and will yield flows over most of it. (See PL 
VIII, in pocket.) 

In the northern portion wells can be developed at depths from 100 
feet above sea level to 500 feet below. The reservoir deepens toward 
the south and wells must go 400 to 1,000 feet below sea level. At 
Nacogdoches sands in the lower Eocene are met at 155, 214, 297, 
and 340 to 500 feet below the surface, the lowest stratum yielding 
soft water. Some of the sands in the county, however, supply sul- 
phur water. 

Yegua formation. — In the southern portion of the county the sands 
of the Yegua formation outcrop, but they are not under cover and 
therefore will not produce flows. (See PL VII, in pocket.) 

WELL DATA. 

A detailed list of wells appears in the following table: 
Wells and springs in Nacogdoches County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Survey, headright, 
or street. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


798 


Attoyac, 1£ miles 

from. 
Stoker, near 

Etoile 


J. I. Y. Barbo 
grant. 

E. Chandler sur- 
vey. 


H. B. Fall 




E. M. Weeks. 


799 


M. D. Stoker 




A. Deussen. 


800 


Long Bell Lum- 
ber Co. 
Garrison 




S. W. Flurnoy. 
A. Deussen. 


801 


Garrison 






80? 


do 




Dotson Bros 




Do. 


803 


Melrose, 1 mile 
south of E. A. 
Day place. 

Caro, i mile south- 
east of post office. 

Toliver 




Lubricating i 1 
Co. 

Whiteman-D ecker 
Lumber Co. & 




Joseph B. Walker.** 

E. M. Decker, sec- 
retary. 
B. W. Pye, post- 


804 
805 


J. A. Caro survey. 


Layne & Bowler. 


806 
807 


Appleby, 9 miles 
east. 

Cushing, 2 miles 

northeast. 
Woden, 5 miles 

southeast, near 

oil spring. 
Woden, 6 miles 

southeast. 

Nacogdoches, J 
mile southwest 
of post office. 

Nacogdoches 


Richard Nelson 
survey, west 
line. 


Producers Oil Co.. 
O. V. Pirtle 


C. E. Morgan 


master, c 
June Harris. 

O. V. Pirtle. 


808 




Higgins Oil & 
Fuel Co. 


F. W. Michaux.. 

G. A. Watkins... 


F. W. Michaux. 


809 


Nacogdoches- 
Browns Ferry 
road. 


W. C. Alders. 


810 


Nacogdoches Ice 
& Cold Storage 
Co. 

do 


Arthur Marshall, 


811 




Frank Michaux . . 


superintendent. 
Do. 



a Dumble, E. T., Kennedy, William, et al., Reports on the iron ore district of east Texas: Second Ann. 
Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1891, p. 286. 

b For analysis of water from a spring at Caro, see analysis No. 804b, in table facing p. 110. 

c Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas: 
Prof. Paper IT. S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1906, p. 232. 



310 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wills ami . springs in Nacogdoches County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 



812 

813 
814 

815 

816 
817 

818 

819 



820 

821 

822 
823 
824 

825 
826 

827 



Location. 



Nacogdoches, 1 
mile southwest. 

Nacogdoches 

Nacogdoches, 1 
mile southwest. 

Oil City 



....do 

Oil City, near 

Oil City, 3 miles 

west. 
Oil City, near 



Survey , headright , 
or street. 



Owner. 



Oil City, near No. ! 

815. 
Chireno, 1 mile i 

south-southwest. 

Chireno, near 

Chireno, southwest 
Chireno, 4 miles | 

southwest. 

Chireno, 2 miles 

southwest. 
Chireno 



J. S. Skiliern 
homestead, be- 
tween Mast and 
Rector creeks. 



.do. 



J. C. Buckner 
headright. 

do 

do 

Mayfield & White 
survey, near 
northeast corner. 

W. L. Wilson sur- 
vey (?) 



Y Barbo grant, on 
Anoladeras 
Creek. 



Driller. 



Havward Lumber W. P. Lloyd. 

Co. 

City 

Hay ward Lumber i Thompson Bros. 

Co. 
Petroleum Pros- i 

pecting Co. 

do 

Williams Bros J. M. Thrasher. . 

J. M. Thrasher 



Nip Oil Co. (?) 



Higgins Oil & 

Fuel Co. 
W. D. Lambert.. 



W. A. Thompson. 



E. M. Weeks. 



Mammoth Oil, 
Mineral & Land 
Co. 

J. A. Richardson.. 



F. W. Michaux. 



Andy Thomp- 
son. 



Thompson Bros.. 



Authority 



F. H. Wilcox. 



A. Deussen. 
F. H. Wilcox. 

A. Deussen. 



J. B. Walker, a 
J. If. Thrasher. 
N. M. Fenneman. i* 

Do.b 



F. W. Michaux. 

W. D. Lambert. 

Do. 
Do. 
S. W. Flurnoy. 

E. M. Weeks. 

Mammoth Oil, 
Mineral & Land 
Co. c 

J. A. Richardson. 



a Dumble, E. T., Kennedy, William, et al., op. cit., pp. 273 et seq. 

6 Fenneman, N. M., Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 
282, 1906, p. 71. 
c Veatch, A. C, op. cit., p. 232. 



No. 



Diameter of 
well. 



798 
799 
800 
801 
802 
803 
804 
805 

806 

807 
808 

809 
810 
811 
812 
813 
814 
815 
816 
817 
818 
819 
820 
821 
822 
823 
824 
825 
826 
827 



Inches. 



10 too|. 



10. 



10 to 4. 

6 

6 

8 



v. 



8 

10 to 4 . 



Depth of well. 



Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 



Feet. 
316 (?)... 



Feet. 



350(?). 



255. 
300. 
375. 



460. 



2,000. 



1,956. 

1,600. 
300... 
500... 
290... 



314.6. 
314.6. 



820. 



70 

1,304.. 
400+.. 
684.... 
240.... 
300.... 
198.... 
300.... 
800(?). 
386.... 
877.... 
228.... 



317. 



Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 



Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 



Yield per 
minute. 



Feet. 



300. 



[220 

|972 to 996 

11,098 to 1,132. 
[1,155 to 1,263. 



370 to 467, 476 to 
478. 

1,500 

155,214,297 

340 to 500 

276 



470 to 500. 



387 to 405. 

240 

300 



300. 



386 

382 to 462. 
220 



Feet. 
Flows 



Flows. 





Flows.. . 
No flow . 

do.. 

do.. 

Flows . . 



Flows strong- 
ly- 

Flows 

+3 

4-40 

-30 



+4. 



+4. 



Flows.. 
....do.. 
+ 16.... 
No flow 
Flows.. 
+ 10.... 
-100... 
Flows.. 
+ 1 



Pump. 



Galls. 



None. 
350... 



500... 
Many. 



35. 



Flow. 



Galls. 
2.5. 



150 



225. 

200. 
21. 



50. 



SOUTHEASTEBN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 

Wells and springs in Nacogdoches County, Tex. — Continued. 



311 



No. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


798 


Wilcox 


Sulphur 


Completed, 1906. 


799 


Mount Selman 


Mineral** 


Spring; local resort; temperature of water, 66° F. 


800 




Sulphur 


Completed, 1899. 


801 


W ilcox . 


(a) 


"White Spring"; local resort. 


80? 




Iron 


"Red Spring." 


803 






Oil-test well; abandoned; 40 wells on property. 


804 


Wilcox 


Iron and sulphur « 


Water used in boilers; not lowered by pumping; 


805 


do 


well completed, 1904. 


806 


do 


Some sulphur 

Soft 


Oil-test well; completed, 1907; abandoned. 


807 




Spring. 


808 


Wilcox 


Some sulphur ... 
Salty and sulphur. 

Some sulphur 

Soft a 


Drilled for oil; at Oil City; completed, 1907. 


809 


do 


Stock drink water; gas at 1,000 feet; completed, 


810 
811 


Mount Selman and Wilcox. . 
Wilcox 


1904. 
Old weU. 
Completed, 1907; new well (No. 2); cost, $2,000; 

temperature, 74° F. 
Completed, 1903; about 100 feet east by a little 

north of, and 4 feet higher than well No. 814. 
Springs; water supply for the city. 
Used in boilers; completed, 1904. 


812 

813 


Mount Selman and Wilcox . . 


Some sulphur 

Potable « 


814 


Wilcox 


Soft 


815 




Sulphureted; oil 
bearing. 


Oil spring. 


816 




Oil well; about 40 shallow oil wells drilled in 


817 






vicinity. 
Oil-test well; completed, 1905. 


818 






Oil-test well. 


81 9 


Wilcox and Mount Selman. . 
do 


Good 


Do. 


8?0 


do 


Oil-test well; abandoned. 


8?1 


...do 


Soft 


Completed, 1905. 


8?? 






Oil stands in well; completed, 1905. 


8?3 


do... 


Sulphur 


Oil comes to surface with water; completed in 
1905. 


8*>4 




Potable 


825 


Wilcox 




Oil-test well; completed, 1905. At "Highland 
Pond." 


826 


do 


Sulphur 


8?7 


...do 


..do 


Completed, 1905. 









a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 



80 1. 1 The water is believed to be beneficial. The property has been recently 
improved. The water is from the main water-bearing sand which overlies the lignite. 

803. Section of Lubricating Oil Co.'s well, 1 mile south of Melrose, on the E. A. Day 

place, Nacogdoches County, Tex. 

Cook Mountain and Mount Selman formations: Feet. 

Red clay earth 0-9 

Bluish-green calcareous shell marl 9 - 70 

Dark-green calcareous shell marl 70 -119 

Dark-drab clay 119 -139 

Light-drab clay, with iron pyrites 139 -255. 5 

Sand with iron pyrites, containing "slush oil" 255. 5-258 

Dark-drab clay 258 -293 

Calcareous marl, with sand " streakings " 293 -299 

Sandstone 299 -302 

Clay with sand "streakings "and iron pyrites 302 -309 

Dark bluish-green shell marl 309 -338 

Dark-drab clay 338 -349 

Marl 349 -352 

1 Dumble, E. T., Kennedy, William, et al., Reports on the Iron ore district of east Texas: Second Ann. 
Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1891. 



312 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

804. E. M. Decker writes: "Well was drilled for boiler supply and for domestic 
use. It was drilled in 1904. and has been in daily use since, furnishing from 300,000 
to 500.000 gallons daily. * * * Rock was struck about 30 feet below surface, and 
was a hard blue stone, some 12 feet thick. Under this was a black dirt, and then sand 
and sandstone. At about 225 feet there was encountered a very hard rock through 
which the drill made barely 9 to 12 inches per day. This rock lasted until about 270 
feet. After passing through this, a water-bearing gravel was found in which we 
stopped. This water cleared immediately, and was found to be heavily impregnated 
with iron, sulphur, and magnesia. We are not using this water very much in boilers, as 
we have a large pool from which we draw a supply. The water, however, is not 
injurious to boilers. We think it very probable that had we gone a little deeper, arte- 
sian water would have been encountered. But we were afraid to go deeper on account 
of encountering oily water, which was not wanted at this time." 

Like the shallow wells at Marshall, this water seems likewise to be supplied by the 
Queen City sand member of the Wilcox formation. Both at Marshall and at this point 
water from these beds is remarkably pure. This horizon in the Wilcox is worth 
exploitation over this entire portion of the State, especially where boiler, drinking, 
and irrigation waters are sought. 

806. Section of Producers Oil Co.'swell,9 miles east of Appleby , on the west line of the 

Richard Nelson survey, Tex. 

Mount Selman formation: Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Sand 0- 23 8 

Gumbo (greensand marl) 23 8 - 112 4 

Gumbo(?); rock (sandstone) 2 feet 112 4 - 158 4 

Gumbo(?); 2 feet hard rock 158 4 - 208 1 

Wilcox, Midway, and Cretaceous formations: 

Not given ; 5 feet of water sand 208 1 - 252 6 

No record in part; rock 5 feet 252 6 - 294 10 

No record in part; rock (sandstone) 5 feet. . 294 10 - 340 6 

Partial record; 5 feet rock 340 6 - 385 8 

Partial record ; 5 feet sandstone 385 8- 432 4 

Do 432 4 - 475 2 

Do 475 2 - 520 11 

Do 520 11 - 566 7 

Do 566 7- 612 11 

Rock 5 feet; partial record 612 11 - 658 5 

Hard sand 658 5- 727 1 

Partial record ; very little shale 727 1 - 839 1 

Sand 839 1 - 849 1 

Gumbo 849 1- 859 1 

Partial record; 1 foot rock 859 1- 883 

Gumbo 883 - 905 

Hard sand 905 0- 927 

Sand; 2 feet rock 927 - 948 8 

Sand 948 8- 972 4 

Water sand 972 4 - 996 1 

Partial record; 2 feet rock 996 1 - 1, 017 2 

Sand 1, 017 2 - 1, 063 5 

Partial record; 8 feet porous rock, containing 

no water 1, 063 5 - 1, 087 5 

Porous rock; reduced casing from 7 J to 5$ 

inches 1,087 5-1,098 10 

Water sand 1, 098 10 - 1, 132 4 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 313 

Wilcox, Midway, and Cretaceous formations — 

Continued. Ft. in. Ft. in. 

Hardsand 1,132 4 - 1,155 7 

Sand; water flow 1, 155 7 - 1, 263 7 

Sand with black, "flaky " dirt 1, 263 7 - 1, 578 

Rock; gas 1,578 - 1,580 

Black "flaky" dirt 1,580 0-1,624 11 

Rock 1,624 11-1,715 5 

Lignite 1,715 5-1,720 5 

Gumbo 1,720 5 - 1,762 6 

Gumbo, with 4 feet rock 1, 762 6 - 1, 786 2 

Rock 1, 786 2 - 1, 805 9 

"Salt"(?) 1,805 9-1,826 5 

Rock and hard sand and a little lignite 1, 826 5-2, 000 

808. Section of Higgins Oil <Ss Fuel Co.'s well at Oil City, 5 miles southeast of Woden, 

Tex. 

[Furnished by F. W. Michaux, driller.] 

Cook Mountain and MouDt Selman formations: Feet. 

Surface yellow sand - 20 

Bluesand 20- 56 

Black gumbo (greensand marl) 56 - 66 

Black shale, shells, and oil (greensand marl) 66 - 75 

Black shale (greensand marl) 75 - 83 

Black shale shells (greensand marl) 83 - 136 

Soft sandy rock 136 - 142 

Black shale, shells; oil 142- 184 

Hard shale, shells, rock; oil 184 - 260 

Blue "limerock" 260- 270 

Lighter color shale; more oil 270 - 320 

Hard blue limerock; shells 320 - 328 

Hard marl; oil showing 328 - 336 

Very hard rock, worked on same one week (indurated 

greensand) 336 - 366 

Bluegumbo 366- 370 

Wilcox formation: 

Soft rocks, hard streaks; blue water sand; artesian 

flow 370- 410 

Soft marl, oil showing; blue water sand 410 - 467 

Top showed oil, very hard rock 467 - 476 

Artesian sand; main flow 476 - 478 

Hard sandrock; petrified wood (white) 478 - 482§ 

Soft sand 482§- 484 

Hard sandrock 484- 489 

Soft blue marl 489- 521 

Hard marl 521 - 523 

Soft marl 523- 534 

Hard marl. 534 - 538 

Marl with thin "shells" of rock 3 to 12 feet 538- 556 

Dark sand 556 - 569 

Rock, black marl 569- 570 

Bluegumbo 570- 583 

Hard rock 583 - 584 

Bluegumbo 584- 594 



314 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wilcox formation — Continued. Feet. 

Rock 594- 595 

Gumbo; changed to 5$ inch bit 595 - 608 

Rock 608- 609 

Gumbo 609 - 617 

Marl 617- 632 

Rock 632- 633 

Green marl 633- 639 

Whitesand 639- 641 

Marl and sand 641 - 650 

Green marl 650 - 652 

Whitesand 652- 654 

Gummy marl 664 - 668 

Whitesand 704- 715 

Gumbo 715- 717 

Black rock 717- 718 

Gumbo 718- 722 

White sand 722 - 738 

Shale and sand 738- 753 

Rock, medium hard 753 - 755 

Tough gumbo 755 - 770 

Black shale 770- 811 

Hard shale 811- 815 

Sand shale 815- 836 

Soft gumbo 836- 840 

Sandy shale 840 - 869 

Blue gumbo 869- 876 

Whitesand 876- 887 

Brittle shale 887- 895 

Tough black gumbo, some " coal " , 895 - 919 

Brittle shale 919- 933 

Gumbo 933- 937£ 

Bluelimerock 937f- 943 

Gumbo 943 - 945 

Hard marl 945 - 950 

Hard blue rock 950- 953 

Conglomerate; artesian flow; water warm 953 - 990 

Rock 990- 993 

Shale and conglomerate 993 -1, 051 

Blue rock, very hard 1, 051 -1, 052 

Sandy shale 1, 052 -1, 065 

Black gumbo 1, 065 -1, 073 

Brittle shale, blue and white 1, 073 -1, 106 

Sandy shale 1, 106 -1, 137 

White gumbo 1, 137 -1, 163 

Blue limerock 1, 163 -1, 163£ 

Black shale, hard 1, 163^-1, 166 

Soft rock 1,166 -1,169 

Soft white mud 1, 169 -1, 174 

Blue shale 1, 174 -1, 185 

Lignite showing 1, 185 -1, 194 

Brown shale 1, 194 -1, 206 

Gumbo 1, 206 -1, 211 

Soft gumbo, light color 1,211 -1,225 

"Shell" of rock 1, 225 -1, 225£ 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



315 



Wilcox formation — Continued. Feet. 

Brittle brown shale 1, 225$-l 

Brown shale 1, 231 -1 

Blue gumbo 1,273 -1 

Hard black shale 1,279 -1 

Hard gray sandrock 1, 309^-1 

Hard shale with flakes of soft sandrock 1, 311 -1 

Shale and "shells" of rock; showing "oil crystals". . 1, 339 -1 

"Shell of rock" and " oil crystals " 1,372 -1 

Shale; easy drilling 1, 373 -1 

Gumbo 1, 380 -1 

Lignite 1, 395 -1 

Midway formation and Arkadelphia clay : 

Brittle shale 1, 406 -1 

Sand shale 1, 420 -1 

Soft limerock 1, 490 -1 

Sand, soft drilling 1, 491 



Sandy shale, hard, with thin "shells of rock " 1 

Gray rock, not very hard 1 

Hard shale with thin ' ' shells of rock " 1 

Hard sandy shale, with "shells of rock " 1 

Soft shale; easy drilling 1 

Very hard rock ; yellow lime 1 

Sandy shale 1 

Blue hard sandrock 1 

Blue sandy shale 1 

Soft limerock 1 

Shale with "shells of rock," soft 1 

Sandy shale 1 

Shale and ' ' shells of rock 1 

Hard rock; yellow lime 1 

Hard shale with "shells of rock" 1 

Hard sandy shale 1 

Soft rock; rough peculiar yellow particles 1 

Very hard sandy shale 1 

Hard shale, sandy 1 

Rough rock 1 



Hard sandy shale with shells of rock 

Hard sand, with ' ' shells of rock " 1, 

Hard rock; yellow lime 1 

Hard sandy shale ; ' ' shells of rock " 1 

Hard sandy shale 1 

Rough limerock, soft 1 

Brittle brown shale with sand 1 

Sand, shale, ' ; shells of rock " 1 

Hard sand with shells of rock 1 

Soft limerock 1, 950 -1. 955 

No samples were preserved from this well, and it is to be regretted that the impor- 
tant data that they might have revealed are not available. The upper portion of the 
section is clearly Cook Mountain and Mount Selman, this being definitely shown by 
the outcrops of fossiliferous Cook Mountain strata in the vicinity, notably near Melrose 
and Chireno. The sandy beds and lignitic deposits below 370 feet and above 1.406 
feet are clearly Wilcox, at least 1,036 feet in thickness. From the depth to which this 
well penetrated, it is probable that the Midway and Upper Cretaceous marls were 
struck, and the nature of the beds reported strongly suggests this. 



1 
495 -1 

518 -1 

519 -1 
540 -1 
573 -1 
594 -1 
597 -1 
614 -1 
617 -1 

622 -1 

623 -1 
634 -1 
673 -1 

696 -1 

697 -1 
706 -1 
730 -1 
735 -1 
740 -1 
760 -1 
762 -1 
789 -1 

816 -1 

817 -1 
832 -1 
887 -1 
889 -1 
915 -1 
939 -1 



231 

273 

279 

309£ 

311 

339 

372 

373 

380 

395 

406 

420 
490 
491 
495 
518 
519 
540 
573 
594 
597 
614 
617 
622 
623 
634 
673 
696 
697 
706 
730 
735 
740 
760 
762 
789 
816 
817 
832 
887 
889 
915 
939 
950 



316 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS (>! 

811. Srctionnf Nacogdoches Ice ci- Cold Storag< Co.'a well No. 2 at Nacogdoches, Tex. 

Cook Mountain and Mount Selman formations: Feet. 

Black loam 0- 12 

Brown stone and gravel 12- 22 

Blue and fine sand and blue soapstone 22- 92 

(lay or soapstone with sand and bowlders 92-293 

Wilcox formation : 

Hard shale and streaks of sand 293-300 

Sand 300-330 

Shale 330-340 

White sand, varying in fineness, with some streaks of shale 6 

inches thick 340-500 

Rock 500 

817. Section of Williams Bros.' well, near Oil City, Tex. 

Cook Mountain and Mount Selman formations: Feet. 

Soft dark-brown to black shale with bits of shells 160- 165 

Dark clay with bits of shells and black nodules 165- 170 

Dark-greenish sand and shale with bits of shells 170- 180 

Brownish and dark-greenish sandstone, shale and lime- 
stone with bits of shells 180- 186 

Dark-greenish and brown sandy clay or soft shale 186- 326 

Brown ferruginous sandstone 326- 330 

Light-brown shale and dark-greenish sand ; a greensand . 330- 340 

Sand with greenish "granulars " ; a greensand 340- 410 

Same; finer sand 410- 485 

A greensand, also contains bits of sandstone 420- 424 

Wilcox formation : 

Brown shale and dark-gray sandy clay 424- 591 

Dark-gray and brown sandstone 591- 632 

Dark-gray and brown sandstone 1, 059-1, 243 

Gray sandy shale and lignite 1, 244-1, 265 

Coarse gray sand or soft sandstone and gray sandy shale . 1, 265-1, 297 
Brown rock; not a sandstone, may contain sulphur. . . 1, 297-1, 304 

819. Section of Nip Oil Co.'s (?) well on the J. S. Shillern tract, near Oil City, Tex. 

Cook Mountain and Mount Selman formations: Feet. 

Clay 0- 47 

Rock, with shells 47- 54 

Blue marl 54-80 

Sand with slight show of oil 80- 88 

Blue clay 88-144 

Hard rock 144-151 

Blue clay 151-188 

Sand, with oil signs 188-194 

Hard, dark-blue clay 194-238 

Sand 238-276 

Rock, with streaks of sand from 8 to 10 feet 276-294 

Coarse sand, good showing of oil 294-299 

Blue clay (set 10-inch pipe in rock) 299-340 

Hard rock 340-349 

Stiff blue clay 349-387 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 317 

Wilcox formation : Feet. 

White sand ; artesian water 387-405 

Hard blue clay and some rock 405-458 

Thin rock with sand 458^89 

Porous rock; sulphur 489-497 

Coarse sand ; some gas 497-514 

Hard rock 514-518 

Bed of shells; some gas 518-525 

Stiff blue clay (gumbo) 525-559 

Porous soft rock 559-563 

Sand, slight sign of oil ; 563-572 

Black formation of asphalt, dry 572-581 

Gumbo or blue clay 581-612 

Hard rock 612-616 

Shells, with gravel 616-624 

Gumbo 624-651 

Thin rocks, with sands between 651-664 

Hard, flinty rock 664-667 

Dark, coarse sand, or oil sand; good show of oil 667-673 

Porous rock, soft 673-678 

Sand, dark with asphalt 678-681 

Hard rock 681-684 

826. 1 Section of well of Mammoth Oil, Mineral & Land Co., near Chireno, Tex. 

Cook Mountain and Mount Selman formations : 

Red fossiliferous marl containing Ostrea sellaeformis and 

Anomia ephippioides in upper portions; below changes Feet. 

to blue-gray marl 0-110 

"Oil sand"; this outcrops to the north at the base of the 

Claiborne group 110-112 

Blue to gray fossiliferous marl 112-382 

Wilcox formation : 

White quicksand; strong flow of artesian water 382-462 

Dark-gray lignitic clay 462-468 

Lignite 468-477 

White quicksand 477-515 

Lignite 515-522 

Gray-blue sand, with very small shell fragments; layer of 

pyrites 3 inches thick at base 522-562 

Blue micaceous sand; fragments of shells reported, but 

sample shows only glittering particles of mica 562-632 

Hard fossiliferous green sand 632-636 

Dark-green sand 636-676 

Soft dark-gray lignitic clay 676-736 

Chocolate to yellow laminated clay 736-826 

Indurated gray sand 826-836 

White clay 836-840 

Gray sand with a little oil 840-865 

Hard sand 865-873 

Hard rock, not passed through 873-877 



1 Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkan- 
sas: Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1906, p. 322. 



318 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



NAVARRO COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

Only the eastern portion of Navarro County comes within the 
purview of this paper, 1 and in this portion no important Tertiary 
water horizons are available. Likewise, the better Cretaceous 
horizons are embedded so deeply as to be practically unavailable. 
The Xacatoch reservoir is also of doubtful value owing to the 
saltiness of its water. (See PI. VII, in pocket.) The chances for 
finding artesian supplies are therefore not favorable and search for 
them should be undertaken with caution. 

The clays and limestones of the Midway formation occupy a north- 
south belt in the eastern half of the county. To the east they dip 
beneath the sands of the Wilcox formation. These last are not 
under cover and are comparatively thin. Hence, though capable 
of supplying abundant shallow surface wells, they are not to be 
depended on for artesian supplies. 

WELL DATA. 

The following table gives data on wells in Navarro County: 
Partial list of veils in Navarro County. Tex. 



No. 



Location. 



Owner. 



Driller and au- 
thority. 



S2S Birdston (?). 2 miles south. 
829 Roane, 2 miles north 



J. P. Lindsav. 



J. W. Folk. 
J. P. Lindsay. 



No. 



s 2 N 

829 



Diameter 
of well. 



Depth of 

well. 



Inches. Feet. 

12 ICO... 

8 150 



Depths to 
principal 

water- 
bearing 

strata. 



Feet. 
SO. 90... 

145 



Head of 

water 

below (— ) 

ground. 



Source of water. 



Feet. 

-70 Midway (7).. 

—50 Xacatoch (?). 



Quality. 



Hard. 
Soft. 



NEWTON COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AXD HYDROLOGY. 

The northern portion of Xewton County is occupied by the outcrop 
of the Catahoula sandstone, which dips beneath the impervious 
Fleming clay to the south. The Lissie gravel forms the surface of the 
remainder of the county. (See PI. I.) The water-bearing forma- 
tions available are the Yegua in the extreme north, ihc Catahoula in 
the center, and the mr.rine Miocene beds and Lissie gravel in the 
south. 

Yegua formation. — In the northern part drill holes 600 to 1,000 
feet deep will reach the Yegua. (See PI. VJJL, in pocket.) Where 

1 For discussion of the Cretaceous water horizons, see Hill, R. T., Geography and geology of the Black and 
Grand prairies, Tex.: Twenty-first Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Surrey, pt. 7, 1901. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



319 



these sands lie deeper than 1,000 feet they will probably not yield 
potable water. This formation will therefore be available only in th e 
extreme north. 

Catahoula sandstone. — Experiments at Call (wells Nos. 830 and 831) 
indicate that the Catahoula sandstone can supply the central half of 
this county with artesian water where needed. The area of flow is 
indicated on the map (PI. VII, in pocket). The supply from depths 
not exceeding 1,500 feet will generally be potable. 

Marine Miocene. — The marine Miocene beds likewise carry water 
in these regions and should be sought at depths not exceeding 1,000 
feet, where satisfactory supplies can not be found at shallower depths. 
(See PI. IX, in pocket.) The marine Miocene beds will not be found 
north of Call. 

Lissie gravel. — In the southern portion of the county, where the 
Catahoula sandstone is embedded too deeply, the Lissie gravel will 
yield abundant supplies, but the area of flow is confined to the bottoms 
and the lowlands. Along the south line of the county drill holes 600 
feet deep will draw from this source. The well at Bon Wier (No. 834) 
was probably supplied by these sands. (See PL VII.) 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Newton County are given in the following table : 

Wells in Newton County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


Diameter 
of well. 


Depth cf 
well. 


830 
831 
83? 


Call, \ mile south.. 

do 

Ruliff, 200 feet 

east of post 

office. 

Deweyville 

Bon Wier, 2 miles 

southeast (A. L. 

Stark tract). 


Kirby Lumber Co . 
do 

Kansas City 
Southern Ry. 

Sabine Tram Co. . . 


Gust Warnecke.. 


J. G. Stanton, jr... 
do 

A. F. Rust, resi- 
dent engineer. 

Postmaster 

do 


Inches. 

8 

8 

4 

6-1 
8-2 


Feet. 
797. 
852. 
70. 


833 




120. 


834 


Bon Wier Oil & 
Mineral Co. 


W.T.Arnett 


1,017. 



No. 


Depths to 
principal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 


Head of 
water above 
(+) or be- 
low (— ) 
ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 




Pump. 


Flow. 




830 


Feet. 

790 

840 


Feet. 
Flows 
...do 


Galls. 

90 

115.... 


Galls. 

5 

8 


Catahoula 
do 


Hard 


Used in boilers. 


831 


do 


Completed, 1906; water 


83? 


70 


...do 




Lissie 


Soft 


used in boilers. 
Completed, 1904; water 


833 


90 


-6 

Flowed . . . 


30 


None. . 


do 


Iron and sul- 
phur. 


used in locomotive boil- 
ers. 
Completed, 1903; water 


834 






Lissie (?) 


used in boilers. 
Oil test well; in progress, 
















1908. 



832. A. F. Rust writes: "We have an open well consisting of old bridge cylinders 
about 7 feet in diameter and 20 feet deep, in the bottom of which points have been 
sunk to the depth of 40 or 50 feet more. The water rises to the surface of the ground, 
and is pumped into our tank. The points seem to be in a bed of gravel." 



320 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



834. J. S. Meadows says: "Thia well was abandoned at 1,017 feet. We struck a 
cavity at about 123 feet and also rock (21 feet through). At about 123 feet below the 
surface we set 4-inch casing through a shale, with 4 feet of blue gumbo about the 
middle of the shale. After the 2-inch pipe was pulled flowing water filled up the 
ditch with white water sand during the night. * * * " 

ORANGE COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

In Orange County artesian wells are coming to be largely used for 
rice and truck irrigation. A large development along these lines 
may be looked for during the next decade. 

The Lissie gravel has a small exposure in the northern portion of 
the county. Its beds dip beneath the impervious Beaumont clay, 
which succeeds them on the south, and which in turn disappears 
beneath the recent clays and silts. (See PI. I, in pocket.) 

The geologic structure is ideal for artesian water. The sands 
and gravels of the Lissie will yield flows over almost the entire 
county. (See PI. VII, in pocket.) They must, however, not be 
penetrated too deeply, for at depths exceeding 600 to 700 feet, in 
the neighborhood of Orange, they yield salt water. The depth to 
salt water decreases toward the coast and deepens toward the 
interior. 

In Orange a number of artesian wells draw from sands in the 
Lissie reservoir at depths of 462 feet (well No. 840), 578 feet (well 
No. 841), and 600 feet (well No. 842). The water is potable, and is 
used for irrigation, steaming, and domestic supplies. 

WELL DATA. 

A detailed list of the wells in Orange County appears in the sub- 
joined table: 

Wells in Orange County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


Diameter 
of well. 


Depth of 
well. 


835 

836 


Terry, 3 miles west 
Terry, 4 miles east . 
Texla 


Anderson Bros 

Lon Garison 


J. W. Giles 


A. Anderson 

Lon Garison 

Postmaster 

do 


Inches. 

6 

4 

4 

si 

8i 

6 

4 

4 

4 

{ 3 


Feet. 
120. 
800. 


837 


R. W. Wier Lum- 
ber Co. 

Texas & New Or- 
leans R. R. 
do 




75. 


838 


Echo 




396. 


K39 


Echo, 1 mile from 
Sabine River. 

Orange, 3 miles 
southwest, near 
well No. 841. 

Orange, 3 miles 
southwest. 

Orange 




The company 

L. H. Shelfer 

do 


435. 


840 
841 


Orange County 
Demonstration 
Farm. 

do 

J. W. Link 


Chris Geyer 

do 


462. 
578. 


84? 




Postmaster 

T. U. Taylor a 

do.a 


600. 


843 

844 


do 

do 


do 

High School 




467. 
467. 




do 


Electric Light Co. 

Ice Co 

Sam Wilson 




do.a 


500. 


845 




650. 


846 

847 


do 

Orange, 9 miles 

northwest. 
Beaumont, 8 miles 

north. 




do.a 

do.a 


6 


480. 
800. 


848 


W. A. Fletcher.. 




A . Deussen 


6 


740. 













a Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190. 1907, p. 33. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 

Wells in Orange County, Tex. — Continued. 



321 



No. 


Approxi- 
mate 
eleva- 
tion of 
surface. 


Depths to 
principal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 


Head of 
water above 

( + )or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Flow 

per 

minute. 


Source of 
supply. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


835 


Feet. 
(?)15.... 


Feet. 
120 

470, 650, 
710. 


Feet. 
—12 


Galls. 


Lissie 

...do 


Hard 
Salty 
Iron 


Completed, 1905; water used 


836 


Flows 




in boilers. 
Drilled for oil; water beds of 


837 


12. .. 


No flow 






gravel. 
Completed, 1905; water used 


838 












in boilers. 


839 




390 to 435.. 


...do 


35 

22 


Lissie 




Completed, 1905; water used 


840 






Some sul- 
phur. 
Soft 


in locomotive boilers. 
Completed, 1907. 


841 


20 




+20 

+4 


80 




Completed, 1907; water used 


84? 






15 




for irrigation of tobacco and 
vegetables. 


843 






2i 










/ 




Flows 

...do 


22 
10 


I 




Two wells. 


844 


{ 






f 






845 






...do 




846 






...do 


52 








847 






...do 


Few . . 








848 






+14 


70 


Lissie (?).. 


Saline « . . . 


Park farm well. 












a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

836. Lon Garison says: "Between 710 and 800 feet we passed through beds of 
gravel. Water sand was found at 470 feet. All wells around here strike gravel which 
produces a good flow of water at 700 feet. This bed of gravel is about 80 to 90 feet 
thick. In my well I had the water cased off, because we were looking for oil. It is a 
failure, because the strainer was not placed right." 

839. Section of Texas & New Orleans Railroad Co.' swell, at Echo, 1 mile from Sabine 

River, Tex. 

Feet. 

Red clay 0-76 

Lissie gravel : 

Sand 76-110 

Blue clay 110-250 

White sand 250-276 

Sandy clay • 276-292 

Blue sand 292-382 

Blue clay 1 382-390 

Water-bearing sand 390-435 

842. Section of well owned by J. W. Link at Orange, Tex. 

Beaumont clay: Feet. 

Soil and yellow clay 0-10 

Yellow sand 10-20 

Partly blue clay 20-80 

Lissie gravel : 

Gray sand, filled with water 80-220 

Hard clay 220-426 

Water sand, producing flowing well 426-467 

14926°— wsp 335—14 21 



322 



GEOLlKiY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Forty-foot strainer between 167 and 427 feet. 

Mr. Link says that the water from the sand at 426 to 467 feet is ''exceedingly health- 
ful and nice to drink and is used by a great number of people." 

PANOLA COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The Wilcox forms the outcropping formation over the major portion 
of Panola County, but isolated exposures of the Mount Selman forma- 
tion probably occur in some of the iron-capped hills. (See PI. I, in 
pocket.) 

Owing to the absence of cover the Wilcox will not yield flows except 
in the bottoms along Sabine River. Thus far no flowing wells have 
been obtained, but abundant supplies of good water are everywhere 
available to pumps. Supplies can be developed in the sands of the 
Wilcox formation at depths ranging from 100 feet above sea level to 
500 feet below. There is at present little demand for artesian water. 

WELL DATA. 

Data on the wells of the county are given in the following table : 

Wells and springs in Panola County, Tex. 



No. 



850 
851 
852 
853 



Location. 



Clayton, l£ miles west 

Gary 

Gary, 5 miles southeast. . 
Cozart 



Owner. 



Authority. 



Diameter 
of well. 



Depth of 

well. 



A. W. Davis, jr. 
William Bros.. 
R.E.Trabue.. 
Brown Springs. 



Inches. 

A. W. Davis, jr 

Postmaster 4 

M. L. O'Neal | 10... 

Joseph B. Walker a 



Feet. 



200. 
235. 



No. 



850 
852 

853 



Approxi- 
mate 
elevation 
of surface. 



Fc(t. 



400±. 



Depths to 
principal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 



Fed. 



/SO.. 
\200. 



Head of 

water 

below (— ) 

ground. 



Yield per 
minute. 



Pump. Flow. 



Feet. 



-80. 



Galls. 



? 

Many 



Galls. 
20 



Source of 
supply. 



Wilcox. 



Quality. 



Iron and 
sulphur. 

k.do 



Remarks. 



Spring. 

Drilled by M. L. 
O'Neal in 1906; 
water used in boil- 
ers. 

Spring; local resort. 



a Dumble, E. T., Kennedy, William, et al., Reports on the iron ore district of east Texas: Second Ann. 
Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1891, pp. 270-286. 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

852. Section of well owned by R. E. Trabue, 5 miles southeast of Gary, Tex. 

[By M. L. O'Neal, driller.] 



Wilcox formation : 

Red clay 

Bluish clay 

Lignite 

Blue or black gumbo. 



Feet. 

0- 50 
50- 80 
80- 84 
84-194 



Black and white water-bearing sand; no flow L94-235 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 323 

The water is cool and pleasant to drink. It forms a very heavy and hard incrusta- 
tion when used in boilers. 

853. The water is described as having a deep amber color, not unlike whisky; 
"is not styptic in taste, makes no rusty deposit, and therefore has little if any iron in 
solution, and there is no indication of any other metallic salt * * *. The place 
has been noted as a neighborhood resort for about 35 years, and recently a few tem- 
porary cabins have been erected for the accommodation of visitors." * 

POLK COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The Catahoula sandstone occupies the northern portion of Polk 
County but is overlain and succeeded on the south by the impervious 
Fleming clay (see PI. I) , which in turn is overlain by the Lissie gravel. 
South of the approximate latitude of Livingston the Dewitt forma- 
tion probably lies between the Fleming clay and the Lissie gravel, 
the basal beds being approximately at sea level at this latitude and 
1,000 feet below sea level on the Liberty County line. North of the 
latitude of Corrigan, the Yegua formation can be reached in wells 
ranging in depth from 700 to 2,000 feet. The water-bearing forma- 
tions available are therefore the Yegua, Catahoula, Dewitt, and Lissie. 

Yegua formation. — Flowing wells from the Yegua can be had only 
in the lower levels in the available area. (See PL VII, in pocket.) 
In the northern part of Polk County wells should not be drilled deeper 
than 1,000 feet, if potable water is desired. 

Catahoula sandstone. — Water from the Catahoula sandstone may 
be had anywhere in the county. North of the latitude of Moscow 
wells ranging in depth from 50 to 800 feet will draw from these sands. 
South of this latitude the formation is embedded, the depth to it 
increasing toward the south. Along the Liberty County line, to 
secure a supply from the Catahoula a well will have to be from 
1,400 to 2,200 feet deep. The area of flowing wells for this reservoir 
is indicated on the map (PI. VIII). As a general rule water from 
the Catahoula will be potable. The wells at Bering (well No. 856) 
and at Onalaska (well No. 862) draw from these sands. 

Dewitt formation. — Where water in sufficient quantity or under 
sufficient pressure can not be obtained from the overlying Lissie 
gravel it may be desirable to try the Dewitt, but it is improbable 
that the water will be so well adapted to boilers or to irrigation as the 
water from the overlying Lissie. 

To reach these sands will require a well about 300 feet deep in the 
vicinity of Livingston. The required depths will increase toward 
the south, reaching 400 to 1,200 feet along the Liberty County line. 

Lissie gravel. — The Lissie gravel will supply the entire southern 
half of the county with water, the wells ranging in depth from 30 
feet near Livingston to approximately 400 feet on the southern 

1 Durable, E. T., Kennedy, William, et al., Reports on the iron ore district of east Texas: Second Ann. 
Rept. Geol. Survey Texas. 1891, p. 251. 



324 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



boundary line. The water is nearly everywhere potable and suitable 
for use in boilers, but the quantity available is not large hi wells 
shallower than 300 feet. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Polk County are given in the following table: 
Wells and springs in Polk County, Tex. 



No. 



854 

855 

856 

857 

858 

859 

860 

861 
862 



Location. 



Survey, headright, 
or street. 



Bering. 



Bering, 

west. 

Bering. 



5 miles 



Barnum, 6 miles 

north. 
Barnum, 3 miles 

northwest. 
Livingston, 1§ 

miles northeast. 
Soda, 2 miles 

northeast. 

Moscow, 4 miles 

Onalaska, 200 

yards southeast 

of post office. 



M. L. Choate 
League. 



John Johnson sur- 
vey, Reuben 
Lynch League. 



Owner. 



Dean. 



Mrs. George Ely 



W. R.Harris. 



Livingston Lum- 
ber Co., lessees. 
T. W.Wilson 



T.L. Hackney 

Wm. Carlisle & 
Co. 



Driller. 



A.J. Leggett. 



Gust. Warnecke. 



Authority. 



A. B. Garvey, 
county survey- 
or, a 

WilUamKennedy.6 

Bering Manufac- 
turing Co. 

W. T. Carter & 
Bros. 

W. R. Harris. 

James E. Hill. 

T. W. Wilson. 

J. A.Singley.c 
Postmaster. 



a Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas- 
Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1906, p. 232. 

b Hayes. C. W., and Kennedy, William, Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull 
U. S. Geol. Survey No. 212, 1903, p. 54. 

c Singley, J. A., Preliminary report on the artesian wells of the Gulf Coastal slope: Fourth Ann. Rept 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1893, p. 107. 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 

above (+) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


854 


Indies. 


Feet. 
1,000(?) 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 
Flows. 


Galls. 


Galls. 






543 


225 


(36 to 95 








855 


^195 
















I530to540 








856 




Flows... 






R57 
















858 
















859 




800 






+ 3to4 






860 


8 


118 




102 


>.* o flow . 






861 


4 


420 






Flows. . . 


Large. 


45. 




6 to 4 


(285 


1 


150 to 285 


+3 . 




86? 


J 285." 








[350 


1 















No. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


8,54 






Abandoned. 


855 


Catahoula . _ 






R5fl 








857 




Sulphur 


Spring. 






Iron and sulphur. . 


Mineral spring. 


Bftfl 




Not good for boilers until water has remained for 


ma 


Lissie 


Soft 


some time in the pond. Flow of gas. 






Good 


Well for sawmill. 




Catahoula 


Hard and iron 


Used in boilers and to fill log pond; three wells; 






completed, 1906 and 1907. Show of gas. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 325 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

855. Section of Dean veil, 5 miles west of Bering, Tex. 

Feet. 

Surface sands and gravels 0-22 

Fleming clay: 

White sand 22-36 

Strong water sand 36- 95 

Clay with lime 95-140 

Blue clay 140-160 

Greenish clay, with water at 195 feet 160-195 

Green shale 195-230 

Green shale, with gravel 230-240 

Catahoula sandstone : 

Quicksand 240-251 

Quicksand, with lime and shells 251-284 

Blue clay - 284-292 

Green shale ' 292-296 

Shale 296-321 

Soft green shale 321-325 

Green clay 325-350 

Greensand, with pyrites 350-384 

Quicksand 384-400 

Greensand 400-403 

Blue clay 403-424 

Green shale 424-430 

Blue clay 430-460 

Shale rich in iron pyrites 460-496 

Dark shale 496-507 

Light shale 507-520 

Shale 520-530 

Water sand 530-540 

Gray sand 540-543 

ROBERTSON COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

In the northern half of Robertson County the Wilcox formation 
outcrops. To the southeast this dips under the Mount Selman, which 
in turn dips under the Cook Mountain. (See PL I.) The artesian 
reservoirs are therefore the Nacatoch (Cretaceous) and the lower 
Eocene. 

Cretaceous rocks. — Between the western corner and a line extend- 
ing northeast and southwest through Hearne, the Nacatoch res- 
ervoir can be reached in wells which will gradually deepen from 
700 to 1,700 feet. (See PL VII, in pocket.) Probably, however, 
all the water from this formation is too salty for use. 

Lower Eocene. — The lower Eocene reservoir can be reached any- 
where in the county. West of the line passing through Hearne, as 
above described, wells from 20 to 800 feet in depth will draw from this 
reservoir. In the remainder of the county wells ranging in depth 
from 200 to 1,350 feet will be served by the lower Eocene sands. 



320 



GEOLOGY AND rXDKHiiROUND WATERS OF 



Along the northern margin of the catchment area of the lower 
Eocene artesian system no flowing wells are obtainable. In the 
Brazos Valley, north of a line between Calvert and Calvert Bluff, the 
wells are generally very deep, and the water rises within 100 to 120 
feet of the surface. South of this line and at low altitudes (see PL 
VIII) flowing wells are numerous. Experiments at Franklin (well 
No. 905) indicate that the water will not rise to the surface on the 
divides. 

There are a great many flowing wells in the Brazos bottoms south 
of a line extending westward from Calvert. Nearly every plantation 
has two or more, which supply water for drinking and washing, for 
watering stock, and for the boilers of cotton gins, locomotives, and 
industrial establishments. One or more sands supply the wells. At 
Hearne there are 23 flowing wells, nearly all of which draw from a 
sand 700 feet below the surface. 

Mr. H. Field, of Calvert, gives the following data concerning artesian 

wells in his section: 

Artesian water is plentiful anywhere west of Houston & Texas Central Railroad, 
and south, of the lignite beds on the Brown place (Calvert Bluff), about 6 miles north- 
west of Calvert. No artesian water can be had north of the lignite beds. Between 
the railroad above mentioned and the Brazos River there is no trouble in getting water 
at from 300 to 400 feet. Each farm in the Brazos bottom has from two to a half dozen 
wells. The water is fine for all purposes; it is cool and pleasant to drink, washes well, 
good for cooking, and fine for stock. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Robertson County are given in the following 
table: 

Wells and springs in Robertson County, Tex. a 



Location. 



Owner. 



Driller. 



Authority. 



863 
864 

865 

866 
867 



869 
870 
871 

872 



873 
874 



Calvert, 5 miles 
west. 

Calvert, 6 miles 
southwest, J. D. 
Smith, head- 
right. 

Calvert, 4 miles 
south. 

Calvert 

do 

....do 



Brown 

W. C. Anderson. 



A. Gilliam. 



J. H. Drennon. 



.do. 



do 

do 

Calvert, 5 miles 

southwest. 
Calvert, 5 miles 

southwest and 

GOO yards east of 

well No. 871. 
Calvert, 5 miles 

southwest. 
Calvert, near; i 

mile east of well 

No. 872. 



Water, Ice & Electric Light 
Co. 

Market house 

Gibson 

Garrett 



.do. 



do. 

Field.. 



J. A. Singley.b 
W. C. Anderson. 

J. H. Drennon. 

J. A. Singley.c 
Do.c 
Do.c 

Do.d 
Do.d 
Do.d 

Do.d 

Do.d 
Do.d 



a For additional data, see notes following this table. 

b Singley, J. A., Preliminary report on the artesian wells of the Gulf Coastal slope: Fourth Ann. Rept. 
Geol. Survey Texas, 1893, p. 111. 
c Idem, p. 108. 
d Idem. p. 109. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 

Wells and springs in Robertson County, Tex. — Continued. 



327 



No. 



875 



87G 

877 
878 

879 
880 

881 
882 
883 

884 
885 
886 
887 



890 
891 
892 
893 
894 
895 

896 

897 



899 
900 
901 
902 
903 

904 
905 
906 



907 
908 



909 
910 

911 

912 

913 
914 
915 



916 
917 
918 
919 
920 
921 
922 
923 



Location. 



Calvert, near; GOO 

yards south of 

well No. 872. 
Calvert, 5 miles 

west. 

Calvert, near 

Calvert, 2£ miles 

southwest. 

Calvert, west 

Hearne, 5 miles 

west. 

Hearne 

do 

Hearne, Magnolia 

Street. 

Hearne 

....do 

....do 

do 

Hearne, Magnolia 

Street, 700 feet 

northwest of post 

office. 
Hearne, 4 miles 

west. 

Hearne 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

do 



do 

do 

Hearne, 1 mile 

northwest. 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Hearne, 3 miles 

southwest. 

Hearne 

Franklin 

Franklin, 700 

yards northeast 

of post office. 

Franklin 

Mumford, 3 miles 

from, near the 

Little Brazos 

River. 

Mumford 

Petteway(Thomp- 

son League). 

Bremond 

Wootan wells, 200 

yards southwest. 



Valley Junction. . . 
Wheelock, 300 

yards east of 

post office 

Wheelock 

do 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



Owner. 



Driller. 



E. S. Peters. 



Burnet. 



Astin 

J. A. Foster. 

H. Field... 

Westbrook. 



Joseph Hearne 

Mrs. E. F. Armstrong. 
J. H.Hartzog 



Compress 

R.C.Allen 

Planters Oil Co 

Industrial Cotton Oil Co. . 
Hearne Light & Power Co 



J.B.Dunn. 



L.W.Carr 

J. H. Hartzog 

W. A. Scott 

Mrs. H. K. Davis 

W. Crenan 

Houston & Texas Central 
R R 

Gin'& Light Co 

National Oil Co 

Stock yards 



W. Kerlicks 

C. J. Hostrasses. 
Charles Wood... 
W. P. Ferguson. 
C. L. Glass 



City 



M. D. Sharp. 



Dr. Cernals. 



M. Petteway. 



Ralph Wade . 
Judge Terrell. 
W.'G.Curry." 



Mitchell Bros 

do 

Roger Killough 

W. S. Hanover 

Leonard McDonald 

J. B. Dunn 

G. R. Dunn 

S. E. Cavitt 



A. Gilliam. 



Wm. Clark. 



Gust Warnecke. 



Wm. Clark. 



Clark. 



Ed. H. Phillips. 



William Clark. 



William Clark. 

do 

do 



Authority. 



J. A. Singley.a 



Do.a 

Do.o 
J. A. Foster. 

H. Field. 

J. A. Singley.a 

Do.o 
Mrs. E.F.Armstrong. 
J. H. Hartzog. 

J. A. Singley.a 
Postmaster* 

Do. 

Do. 
P. L. Brady, jr. 



J.B.Dunn. 

Postmaster. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
T. U. Taylor. & 

Do.& 

Do.& 
Do.b 
Do.& 

Do.& 
Do.& 
Do.& 
Do.b 
Do.& 

Do.& 
J. A. Singley.a 
M. D. Sharp. 



Wm. Kennedy.^ 
Dr. Cernals. 



J. A. Singley.** 
M. Petteway. 

J. A. Singley <*. 
Ralph Wade. 

J. A. Singley.a 

Do.a 
W. G. Curry. 



Mitchell Bros. 
Postmaster at Wheelock. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 



a Singley, J. A., op. cit., p. 110. 

b Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 59. 

<■ Kennedy, William, Report on Grimes, Brazos, and Robertson counties: Fourth Ann. Rept. Geol. 
Survey Texas, 1893, pp. 83-84. 

d Singley, J. A., op. cit., p. 109. 



S % 2 8 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Wells and springs in Robertson County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Diameter of 

uvll. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 


Head of water 

above (+) or 

below ( — ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


863 


Inches. 


Feet. 
soo 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 
— 100 


Galls. 


Galls. 


St>4 


2, 1 


700 




400 


+30 






wv> 


a 









+32 




10 


866 


4 


5S7 






Flows 




104 


867 


4 


020 




5U) 


do 




104 


868 




2S8 






—30 


700. .. . 




869 


2 


430 






Flows 




870 




585 




585 


do.. 






871 


1 


510 






do 






87? 


1 


266 






do 






873 


1 


900 






—20 






874 


1 


430 






Flows 






875 


1 


288 




288 


do 






876 




400 






—20 






877 




700 






Flows 






878 


3 


710 






+25 




40 


879 


2 






270,320,400,500.. 


+25 




1. 


sso 


1 


400 




Flows 






SSI 




700 






do 






ss? 










do 






883 


2.. 


715 




715 


+ 10 






884 


2.. 


725 










70. 


885 


1. . 


666 






do 






886 


2 


6C0 






do.. 






W 


2 


700 






do 











720 


300 


/23 


Flowed 






8S8 


\720 


Flows 

+8 


600.... 






4 


850 






889 


800 




890 


1.. 


700 






Flows. . . 






891 


1 


720 






do 






892 


1 


700 






do 






893 


1 


710 






do 








(1 


740 




480, 740 


Flows 






894 


{ 


680 






do 






895 




720 




700 


do 








f 


700+ 




700 


do 






89b 


{ 


700 




700 


do 






897 




715 




700 


do... 








/ 


1,020 






...do 






898 


{ 


750 






do 






8<W 




700 




700 


do 






900 




690 






...do.. 






901 




400 






...do 






90? 




720 




700 


...do 








f 


630 

700 


1 




do 






903 










1 


710 

720 


1 


700 


....do 






904 






905 




1,200 






— 100 






906 


6 


173 




173 


—80 






907 
















908 




280 




220, 280 


Flows 




5. 


909 


1 


580 




580 


do 






910 


8 


115 




100 


No flow 






911 




1,500 


467 




do 






912 


6 feet . . 


84 


±500 


80 to 84 


—70 






913 


1.. 


400 






Flows 






914 


1 

3 . 


300 






do 






915 


300 




45,300 


—90 


15 
15 


* 


916 




200 






—50 




917 


3 


200 










918 


3 


200 












919 


3 . 


200 












920 


3.. 


200 












921 


3 . 


200 












922 


3 

3 


200 













<m 


200 





























SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 329 

Wells and springs in Robertson County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


863 


Wilcox 




In Brazos bottom. 


864 


do 


Soft... 


Completed, 1888. 

In Little Brazos bottom; completed, 1885. 


865 




do 


866 


Wilcox 




867 


do 


Good 




868 


do 






869 


do 


Good 




870 


do 


do 




871 


do 


do 


No. 1 well. 


87? 


do 


Excellent 


No. 2 well. 


873 


do 




No. 3 well. 


874 


do 


Good 




875 


do 


Sulphur 




876 


do 






877 


do 


Sulphur 




878 


do 




Located on post-oak plain, about 25 feet above 
the level of Brazos Valley; completed, 1902. 


879 


do 




880 


do 


Poor 


In Brazos bottom. 


881 


do 


Good 




88? 




Soft 


In Brazos bottom. 


883 


Wilcox 


do 


Used for family purposes and garden irrigation; 

completed, 1900. 
Compress well. 


884 


do 




885 


do 




886 


do 






887 


do 








/(?) 


} 




888 


\ Wilcox 


Excellent boiler water; well completed, 1907. 




Soft 


889 


do 


Completed, 1894. 


890 


do 




891 


do 






89? 


do 






893 


do 






894 


do 


Good 


Two wells. 


895 


do 


do 


Used in locomotive boilers; two wells. 


896 


do 


do 


Two wells. 


897 


do 


do 




898 


do 




Do. 


899 


do 


Good 




900 


do 


do 




901 


do 


do 




90? 


do 


do 




903 


do 


do 


Three wells. 


904 


do 


do 




905 


do 


do 




906 


do 


Iron 


Used for the irrigation of strawberries; com- 


907 




(a) 


pleted, 1898. 
Shallow well; known as Overall Mineral well; 


908 


Mount. Rp.1ttir.ti 




two wells. 


909 


Wilcox (?) 


Good 




910 


do 


Sulphur 


Completed, 1890; 3-foot seam of lignite encoun- 
tered. 

This well began in strata lower than the pro- 
ductive beds of the Wilcox formation and 
penetrated the barren beds of the Upper Cre- 
taceous. Some water struck. 

Water used for medicinal purposes and in the 
manufacture of soda water. Health resort. 
There are four dug wells of this character. 
First well completed in 1881. 

In Brazos bottom. 


911 


Nacatoch 




91? 


Wilcox 


(a) 


913 




Good 


914 


Wilcox 


do 


Do. 


915 




Iron 


Completed, 1906. 
Used in boilers. 


916 


Mount Selman 


Soft 


917 


do 






918 


do 






919 


do 






9?0 


do 




921 


do 




92? 


do 






923 


do 






I 









a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 



330 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

870. Section of well at Gibson's gin, near Calvert, Tex. 

[Taken by J. L. Jones.] 

Feet. 

Soil, subsoil, and gray sand - 25 

Red sand and gravel 25 - 30 

Wilcox formation: 

Blue clay, with lime nodules 30 - 48 

Limestone 48 - 52 

Blue clay 52 -67 

Lignite 67 -69 

Blue clayey sand 69 - 77 

Limestone 77 - 81 

Blue clayey sand 81 -115 

Lignite 115 -116. 5 

Blue clayey sand 116. 5-140 

Lignite 140 -145 

Blue clayey sand 145 -161 

Soft sandstone 161 -167 

Blue clay 167 -168 

Rock, hard 168 -172 

Blue clay 172 -200 

Lignite 200 -202 

Red clay 202 -210 

Limestone 210 -216 

Blue clay 216 -232 

Lignite 232 -234 

Blue clayey sand 234 -310 

Lignite. 310 -320 

Blue clayey sand, water bearing 320 -585 

Three "hard rock" strata, 3, 6, and 10 inches thick, were met at 450, 492, and 504 
feet, respectively. 

875. Section of well on E. S. Peters's plantation, near Calvert, Tex. 

[Taken bv J. L. Jones.] 

Feet. 

Soil and gray sand - 10 

Redsand 10 -20 

Gravel 20 -42 

Wilcox formation: 

Clay 42 -46 

Lignite 46 -51 

Clay 51 - 71 

Limestone 71 - 72 

Lignite 72 -76 

Clay 76 -100 

Sandstone 100 -106. 5 

Clay 106. 5-150 

Rock 150 -151 

Clay 151 -160 

Rock 160 -161 

Clay 161 -175 

Lignite 175 -179 

Clay 179 -240 

Lignite 240 -258 

Clay 258 -277 

Water-bearing sand 277 -288 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



331 



RUSK COUNTY. 
GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

At one time the Mount Selman formation covered all of Rusk 
County, but it has been largely removed by erosion, exposing the 
sandy Wilcox formation in many places, especially in the lowlands. 
The Mount Selman remains chiefly on the divides and the iron-capped 
plateaus. 

Owing to the absence of cover over the larger portion of the Wilcox, 
the conditions are not favorable for flowing wells except in the valleys. 
Thus far one artesian well (No. 928) has been sunk in this county, but 
it did not flow. Flows can probably be developed in the Sabine 
River bottoms (see PI. VIII, in pocket), but there would be little 
demand for them there, except perhaps for sawmills. The chances 
are against flowing wells in other portions of the county, except in 
small areas where the ground-water table is locally elevated. 

Owing to the fact that the strata are very nearly horizontal, 
abundant supplies of potable water may be had by pumping over the 
entire county in all wells ranging in depth from 100 feet above to 600 
feet below sea level. These will come into larger use with the devel- 
opment of the orchard and trucking industries. 

WELL DATA. 

Well data are given in the table below: 

Wells and springs in Rush County, Tex. 



No. 



Location. 



Owner. 



Authority. 



Diameter 
of well. 



Depth of 
well. 



924 
925 

926 
927 

928 

929 
930 



Eulalie, f mile east of. . . 

Wherry, 2§ miles north 
(John Hallan survey). 

Tatum 

Tatum, 400 yards south- 
east of post office. 

Flanagan, 100 yards 
southeast of post office. 

Mount Enterprise 

Stevens 



W. M. Britton. 
J. T.Hall 



W. M. Britton. 
J. T.Hall 



J. R. Parish. . . 
W. T. Hemby. 



J. R. Parish. . . 
W. T. Hemby. 



Inches. 



Feet. 



New South Lumber Co. , 

D. W. March 

Martin Baysinger 



Assistant postmaster 8. 

(«) ... 



300. 



No. 



Depths to 
prmcipal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 



Flow per 
minute. 



Source of water. 



Quality. 



Remarks. 



924 
925 
926 
927 

928 



929 
930 



Feet. 



Gallons. 



6.. 
30. 



F. 



25, 150. 



Large. 
...do... 



Spring; local resort. 
Spring. 

Spring; used in boilers. 
White Oak Spring; temperature, 70 e 
used medicinally. 

Wilcox i Formerly used in "boilers: well is not now in 

use; drilled by M. L. O'Neal in 1907 
Does not flow. 

j Iron Stockmans Spring. 

do Sulphur spring. 



Soft 

...do 

Iron and 
sulphur. 



a Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas: 
Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1906, p. 234. 



332 



(SEOLOOY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



SABINE COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 



The northern portion of Sabine County is occupied by the outcrop 
of the Wilcox formation. To the south this is overlain by the Mount 
Selman and Cook Mountain formations, which outcrop in the 
central east- west belt. South of the Cook Mountain formation the 
Yegua formation is exposed, and this in turn is overlain by the 
Jackson formation. The extreme southern portion of the county is 
occupied by the outcrop of the Catahoula sandstone. The water- 
bearing formations available are the lower Eocene, Yegua, and 
Catahoula. 

Lower Eocene. — In the well of the East Texas Timber & Oil Co., 
near Roberstons Ferry, a sand belonging to the Wilcox yielded a 
flow at a depth of 1,800 feet (well No. 933). At Sabinetown (well 
No. 934) water-bearing sands belonging to the Wilcox formation 
yielded flows at 241 to 290 and 638 to 690 feet, (See PI. VIII, in 
pocket.) Water from depths exceeding 1,000 feet is inclined to be 
brackish, and it is not advisable to carry borings deeper. 

Yegua formation. — The sands of the Yegua formation supply the 
well at Pineland from a depth of 350 feet (well No. 932). These 
sands constitute the available source of artesian water for the southern 
half of this county. The area of flow is confined to the lowlands 
along Sabine River. (See PI. VII, in pocket.) The water is usually 
satisfactory in quality. 

Catahoula sandstone. — The Catahoula sandstone is not under cover 
in this area and is capable of supplying shallow surface wells only. 

WELL DATA. 

The only important consumers of artesian water in Sabine County 
are the sawmills and railroads. Details of wells are given in the 
following table: 

Wells in Sabine County, Tex. 



No. 


Location . 


Survey, headright, 
or street. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


W 


Milam, 4 miles east. 
Pineland 


Moses Hill League. 


G. B. McLanahan. 




G. B. McLanahan. 


93? 


Garrison & Norton 
Lumber Co. 

East Texas Tim- 
ber & Oil Co. 

Sabine Oil & Min- 
eral Co. 

Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Ry. 


P. Leukey 

W.A.Turner 

Will Spurm 


J. A. Hargrave, 


933 
934 


Robertsons Ferry, 
15 miles east- 
southeast of 
Hemphill. 

Sabinetown, 1 mile 
west. 

Bronson 


H. C Maund tract. 


postmaster. 
"\\ . A. Turner.^ 


W 




T. U. Tavlor.b 













a Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas: 
Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1906, p. 234. 

b Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, pp. 63-64. 



SOUTHEASTER TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 

Wells in Sabine County, Tex.- — Continued. 



333 



No. 



Diameter of 
well. 



Depth of well. 



Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 



Depths to 
principal water- 
bearing strata. 



Head of water 

above (+) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 



Flow per 
minute. 



Inches. 



Feet. 



Feet. 



Feet. 



Feet. 



931 
932 

933 
934 
935 



10. 



720... 
1,975. 

1,501. 

1,070. 



120. 



350 

fl,010 to 1,030. 

\1,800 

(241 to 290 

to.5to690... 
U,39l to 1,414. 

/674to729 

\1,018 to 1,068. 



-7.... 
Flows. 
do. 



Galls. 
20. 

Large. 
Do. 



f Flowed . 



No. 



Source of water. 



Quality. 



Remarks. 



931 
932 

933 



934 
935 



G 



Yegua 

Cook Mountain. 

■Yilcox 

f....do 

f ...do 

lCretaceous(?)... 

Wilcox 



Sulphur. 



Pleasant tasting. 

Brine 

Good 

(?) 

Salty 

Good « 



Boiling spring. 

Used in boilers; completed, 1906. 



(Completed, 1903; drilled for oil; first water is soft; 
second and third are salt water; abandoned. 

Used in locomotive boilers. 



a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 
DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

933. Section of East Texas Timber & Oil Co.' swell, 1 mile below Robertsons Ferry, 

Sabine County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Soil - 2 

Yellow sand 2-35 

Blue clay 35 - 55 

Hard blue clay 55 - 95 

Rock, with fossil shells 95 - 98 

Blue shale 98 - 120 

Hard blue clay 120 - 180 

Rock, with fossil shells 180 - 185 

Stiff blue clay ("gumbo") 185 - 230 

Sand .' 230 - 238 

Gumbo (stiff blue clay) 238 - 286 

Soft sand 286 - 290 

Gumbo 290 - 321 

Sand 321 - 327 

Rock 327 - 331 

Lignite 331 - 335 

Sand 335 - 360 

Dark-brown clay 360 - 375 

"Coal " (lignite) 375 - 380 

Blue gumbo 380 - 442 

Sandstone 442 - 460 

Limestone 460 - 468 

Blue gumbo 468 - 498 

Sandstone 498 - 516 



334 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Feet. 

Very dark gumbo 516 - 550 

Soft clay 550 - 580 

Hard clay 580 - 640 

Fossilif erous marl 640 - 649 

Hard clay 649 - 650.5 

Fossiliferous sandstone 650. 5- 665 

Rock 665 - 666.5 

Hard clay 666.5- 684 

Flint rock, very hard 684 - 685. 5 

Dark-colored shale 685. 5- 726 

Soft sandstone 726 - 741 

Gumbo 741 - 767 

Soft sandstone 767 - 779 

Shale 779 - 784 

Soft sandstone, with shells 784 - 800 

No record 800 -1,010 

Sand, with pleasant-tasting artesian water 1, 010 -1, 030 

Clays, mostly dark colored, containing fossil shells of the 

Claiborne group (Eocene) below 1,215 feet 1, 030 -1, 350 

Hard rock 1, 350 -1, 425 

Artesian salt water 1, 425 -1, 800 

Total depth, Mar. 2, 1903 1, 975 

Veatch 1 says: 

On November 30, 1902, Mr. Turner wrote: "At about 1,020 feet we got some 15 to 
20 feet of sand, and when we bailed the well we got a good flow of pleasant- tasting 
water. It boiled about 1 foot above the top of the 6-incn casing, but would soon choke 
with sand. When the flow weakened, some gas would be noticed with the water. 
Below 1,030 feet the formation was different clays, etc., mostly dark colored, but 
there was nothing that could be called sand until ] ,350 feet was reached. We put in 
1,215 feet of 6-inch casing and bailed again. Result, considerable gas and the hole 
filled to within 300 feet of the surface with clay shale and thick mud ; no sand; the mud 
might be called greasy. The shells which I send you came from the hole after put- 
ting in the 6-inch casing and washing and bailing. They certainly came from below 
1,215 feet." 

These shells were referred to Dr. W. H. Dall, who reported: "They are of the hori- 
zon of the Claiborne sands, or mid-Eocene, and the specimens contain fragments of 
half a dozen characteristic Claibornian species." 

Just north of this well there is a good exposure of fossiliferous Jackson marl in the 
river bank which definitely determines the fossiliferous beds encountered in the upper 
part of this well to be of Jackson age. The lignitiferous clays below are clearly Cock- 
field (Yegua). The lignite beds suggest the impure lignite found in La whom Bluff, 
and if in exactly the same stratigraphic position, indicate a dip of 82 feet per mile. 

934. Section of Sabine Oil & Mineral Co.'s well, 1 mile west of Sabinetown, Tex. 

Feet. 

Red and blue clay 0-30 

White sand 30 - 40 

Soft red rock 40 - 50 

Shell rock 50 - 52 

Sandrock with 1 foot hard pyrites at bottom 52 - 59 

Blue marl and shell 59 - 80 

i Veatch , A . C . , op. cit. , pp. 324-325. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 335 

Wilcox formation : Feet. 

Lignite (first gas) 80 - 95 

Soft green sandrock with 1 foot hard pyrites at bot- 
tom 95 - 241 

Soft shale (?) with flow of water 241 - 300 

Blue shale and sand 300 - 379 

Caving blue sand capped by 1£ feet hard pyrites . . 379 - 528 

Blue sand capped by hard rock 528 - 534.5 

13£ feet sand underlain by \ foot of shell rock 534. 5- 548 

Sand 548 - 600 

Shell rock 600 - 604 

Sandrock; 1 foot very hard rock at bottom 604 - 645 

Shales and sandrock 645 - 674 

Very hard rock 674 - 680 

Gumbo 680 - 690 

Soft sandrock 690 - 728 

Soft gray sandrock 728 - 800 

Gravel and pyrites 800 - 804 

Soft sandrock 804 - 860 

Shale and sand mixed 860 - 875 

Soft sandrock and 1 foot very hard rock at bottom. 875 - 907 

Soft sandrock and 2 feet hard rock at bottom 907 - 996 

Medium hard sandrock underlain by 2 feet hard 

pyrites 996 -1, 035 

First, showing strong sulphur gas 1, 035 -1, 037 

Soft sandrock 1, 037 -1, 065 

Midway formation : 

Mixed streaks shale, sand, and gumbo 1, 065 -1, 265 

Brown shale 1, 265 -1, 293 

Very hard rock with pyrites 1, 293 -1, 299 

Hard rock, showing oil and gas 1,299 -1,306 

Cretaceous (?): 

Soft sandrock (salt water) 1, 306 -1, 329 

Soft sandrock capped by shell rock 1, 329 -1, 341 

Soft sandrock; and gas underneath 1, 341 -1, 344 

Hard rock 1, 344 -1, 347 

Soft sandrock with 1 foot hard rock, 1,383-1,384, 

and 2 feet hard shell at bottom 1, 347 -] , 406 

Soft sandrock or hard packed sand ],406 -],489 

Clay and sand mixed 1, 489 -1, 499 

935. Section of Gulf , Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well at Bronson, Tex. 

Feet. 

Yellow clay 0- 30 

Cook Mountain and Mount Selman formations: 

Blue clay 30- 60 

Brown shale 60- 103 

Sand 103- 115 

Brown shale 115- 145 

Sand 145- 155 

Blue clay 155- 163 

Limestone rock 163- 164 

Blue clay , 164- 258 

Sand : 258- 272 

Blue clay 272- 322 



336 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Cook Mountain and Mount Selman formations — Continued. Feet. 

Brown shale 322- 352 

Blue clay 352- 374 

Blue clay and "shell " 374- 380 

Blue clay 380- 486 

Sandrock 486- 489 

Blue clay 489- 578 

Blue clay and bowlders (concretions) 578- 586 

Blue clay 586- 674 

Wilcox formation: 

Water sand 674- 729 

Blue clay 729- 810 

Dark sand 810- 818 

Blue clay 818- 892 

Blue shale and "shell" 892- 928 

Dark shale 928-1, 018 

Water sand 1, 018-1, 068 

Dark clay 1, 068-1, 070 

SAN AUGUSTINE COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The Wilcox formation outcrops in the extreme northern portion of 
San Augustine County, but is overlain to the south by the Mount 
Selman and Cook Mountain formations. The sands of the Yegua 
formation are exposed along the central belt of the county and are 
overlain to th© south by marls of the Jackson formation. In the 
extreme south the Catahoula sandstone has a small exposure. (See 
PL I.) The important water-bearing formations of the county are 
the Wilcox, Yegua, and Catahoula. 

Wilcox formation. — In the northern portion wells can be completed 
in the Wilcox reservoir at depths ranging from sea level to 600 feet 
below. The depths increase toward the south and in the southern 
portion it would require wells reaching 1,400 to 2,000 feet below sea 
level to develop supplies. The area of flow (see PI. VIII, in pocket) 
is confined largely to the lowlands. 

Wilcox water from wells that do not reach over 1,200 feet below 
sea level will generally be potable and adapted to boilers. In places 
sulphur and chalybeate water may be expected. 

Six miles south of San Augustine these sands supply very soft 
water from a depth of 395 to 415 feet. Two and one-half miles south- 
west of Denning a sand 98 feet below the surface yields a flow of 
sulphurous and chalybeate water. Six miles northwest of San 
Augustine flows of unknown quality were developed in sands at 139 
to 173, 198 to 208, and 240 to 250 feet below the surface. 

Yegua formation. — In the southern portion of the county, where 
the Wilcox is so deeply embedded that the quality of its water is 
questionable and the expense of reaching it great, the Yegua artesian 
system may be drawn on. The Yegua dips at a high angle to the 
south and to reach it wells must go down to sea level close to W T arsaw 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



337 



and to depths between 400 and 800 feet below sea level in the extreme 
southern corner. Wells reaching over 900 feet below sea level are not 
to be recommended. The flows will be confined to the lowlands 
adjacent to Attoyac Bayou and to the southern portion of the county. 
(See PI. VII, in pocket.) 

The sands of the Yegua formation, so far as known, have not been 
exploited in other than shallow surface wells, and no data as to the 
quality of their water are available. In most wells not exceeding 
700 feet in depth the water will probably be potable and .doubtless 
some of the sands penetrated will supply good boiler water. In 
many, however, sulphur water may be looked for. 

Catahoula sandstone. — The Catahoula sandstone is not sufficiently 
embedded to make it important except in relatively shallow non- 
flowing wells. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in San Augustine County are given in the following 

table: 

Wells and springs in San Augustine County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Driller. 


Authority. 


Diame- 
ter of 
well. 


Depth of 
well. 


936 
937 


Denning, 2\ miles 

southwest. 
Altonia, \ mile 

west. 
Swannville, 300 

yards east of 

post office. 
San Augustine, 6 

miles south. 
San Augustine, 3 

miles northwest. 
San Augustine, 6 

miles northwest. 

do 

San Augustine, 2 

miles west. 


W. K. Freeman... 
Z. S. Moss 


E. F. Graham.... 


W. K. Freeman... 
Z. S. Moss 


Inches. 
10 


Feet. 
800. 


938 


Lufkin Land & 
Lumber Co. 

Andrew Phillips . . 

Dr. J. E. Harrison. 




J. R. Phelps 






939 
940 


Savage Bros 


W. W. Lawrence.. 

L. Sharp, post- 
master. 
...do 


6 


415. 

1,400 (?). 
400. 


941 








94? 


Santa Fe Ry. Co.. 




N. M. Fenneman a. 
N. H. Darton &.. . 




595. 


943 






700. 















No. 


Approxi- 
mate ele- 
vation of 
surface. 


Depths to 
principal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 


Head of 
water 
above 

ground. 


Flow 
per 

min- 
ute. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


936 


Feet. 


Feet. 
98 


Feet. 
5 


Galls. 


Wilcox and 
Mount Sel- 
man. 


Iron and sul- 
phur. 

Soft 


Drilled for oil" Sun Oil Co. 


937 








well (?); completed, 1904. 

Bullock Spring, tempera- 
ture of water, 65° F. 

Spring. 

Completed, 1900; drilled 
for oil. 


938 












Sulphur 


939 


200 


395 to 415 


30 




Wilcox. . 


940 










941 














Do. 


942 




(139 to 173 
^198 to 208 
[240 to 250 


Flows.. 
Flows. . 


! 

Many. 


Wilcox 




(Oil test well (No. 1): two 
\ other similar wells be- 


943 




do .... 




[ long to same company. 
Oil test well 















a Fenneman, N. M., Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survev No. 
282, 1906, p. 72. 

& Darton, N. H., Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 149, 1905, p. 153. 



14920°— wsp 335—14- 



-29 



338 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

936. \Y. K. Freeman writes: ''The well was drilled foroil. At 98 feet there came in 
the flow of water that rose in the 10-inch casing 5 feet above the mouth of the casing. 
They tried to case off this water with 10-inch pipe, and went on down with 6-inch 
casing, and then 4-inch, but they never succeeded in casing out the water, and there 
is now a fine 10-inch flow." 

942. Section of Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well No. 1, 6 miles northwest of San Augustine, 

Tex. 

Cook Mountain and Mount Selman (?) formations: Feet. 

Red clay 0-15 

Yellow clay and marl 15 - 20 

Blue marl 20 -34 

Blue marl, black as coal when wet 34 - 44 

Blue marl, streaks of harder marl 44 - 52 

Blue marl 52 - 57 

Blue clay 57 -69 

Brown shale 69 -72.5 

Brown soapy shale, with bowlder (concretion) of hema- 
tite at 75 and 78 feet 72. 5- 82 

Brown soapy shale 82 - 89 

Brown soapstone and thin layers of limestone 89 - 96 

Blue marl 96- -114.5 

Blue clay 114. 5-115. 5 

Blue and brown shale, with hard streaks 115. 5-132. 5 

Blue limestone and marl, with pyrite; very hard 132. 5-139 

Wilcox formation : 

Gray water sand, hard 139 -141 

Gray water sand, a little pyrite, and very small trace of 

oil and gas 141 -167 

Blue-gray water sand 167 -173 

Brown clay, with sand 173 -187 

Brown sand, with streaks of clay 187 -198 

Brown water sand 198 -208 

White clay 208 -209 

Brown gumbo and clay 209 -238 

Pyrite 238 -240 

Water sand 240 -250 

Water clay 250 -260 

Black rock and pyrite 260 -261 

Brown clay 261 -267 

Bowlder (concretion) cf lime, with little oil 267 -268 

Brown clay 268 -270 

Brown clay, with layers of sand 270 -274 

Fine sand 274 -275 

Brown clay 275 -277 

Fine sand 277 -278 

Brown clay 278 -283 

Bowlder of lime 283 -285 

Brown clay 285 -290 

Brown sand 290 -294 

Brown clay with layers of sand 294 -304 

Not reported , 304 -328 



SOUTHEASTEKN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 339 

Wilcox formation — Continued. Feet. 

Brown clay; little oil 328 -342 

Finesand 342 -360 

Fine sand or clay 360 -368 

Not reported 368 -404 

Clay and shells 404 -423 

Clay or fine sand 423 -434 

Shale with layers of lignite 434 -460 

Clay or fine sand 460 -483 

Finesand 483 -485 

Clay and little lignite 485 -488 

Clay *. 488 -503 

Shale 503 -508 

Shale with little lignite 508 -514 

Shale and few shells 514 -518 

Shale 518 -530 

Lignite 530 -530. 5 

Shale; thin lignite layers 530. 5-588 

Lignite 588 -590 

Shale 590 -591 

Lignite 591 -595 

SAN JACINTO COUNTY. 
GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

In the extreme north corner of San Jacinto County the Catahoula 
sandstone outcrops. These sandstones are covered to the south by 
the Fleming clay, which in turn is succeeded by the Lissie gravel. 
The latter covers the greater portion of the county. The artesian 
beds have not yet been developed. 

Catahoula sandstone. — The Catahoula sandstone constitutes an 
important water horizon which is everywhere available. In the 
north it will be met in drill holes a few hundred feet deep, but the 
depth increases southward, reaching about 1,000 feet along the 
Liberty County line. The area of flow (see PI. VIII) is confined to 
the valleys in the north but widens toward the south. 

Dewitt formation. — Sandstones of the Dewitt formation underlie 
the county but have no surface outcrop, being embedded. They lie 
between the Lissie gravel and the Fleming clay and will supply 
water of potable character. They may be reached by wells about 300 
feet deep in the vicinity of Oakhurst and about 400 to 1,200 feet 
deep along the Liberty County line. The area in which flows 
may be expected is indicated on Plate IX. Although the water from 
these Dewitt strata will not be as well adapted for boilers and irriga- 
tion as that from the overlying Lissie, it will probably be more 
abundant. 

Lissie gravel. — The Lissie gravel is not under cover and need not 
be expected to yield flows except in the bottoms in the southern part 
of the county. The water will be better than that supplied by the 
deeper wells dependent on the other artesian beds. 



340 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



WELL DATA 



Details of wells in San Jacinto County are given in the following 
table : 

Wells and springs in San Jacinto County, Tex. 



No. 



944 
945 
946 



Location. 



Evergreen, 2h miles west. 

Shepherd..." 

Oakhurst 



Owner. 



A. G. Hoot 

Dr. W. H. Beazley 



Authority. 



A. G. Hoot.... 

Postmaster 

T. U. Taylor o 



Depth of 
well. 



Feet. 



1,052. 



No. 



Height of water 

above (+ ) or below 

( — ) ground. 



Source of water. 



Quality. 



Remarks. 



944 



945 
946 



Sulphur. 



Strong flow 
No flow 



Catahoula. 



Spring. "It would be impossible to 
mention the number of springs in 
this vicinity, there are so many." 

Drilled for oil; abandoned. 



o Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supplv Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 46. 

SHELBY COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

In Shelby County the Wilcox formation predominates, the former 
cover of the Mount Selman formation persisting in only a few scattered 
hills. (See PL I.) 

Artesian wells draw from the water-bearing sands of the Wilcox 
formation. That flows are restricted to the valleys and the bottoms 
(see PL VIII) is shown by wells near Ten aha and at Timpson. Near 
Tenaha, in the Flat Fork bottoms (well No. 948), the sands yielded a 
copious flow, but at Timpson at a higher altitude (well No. 950) the 
water rose only within 80 feet of the surface. The area of flow is 
delimited on the map (PL VIII, in pocket). 

Wells can be developed at depths ranging from 100 feet above sea 
level to 600 feet below. The sands dip gently, almost imperceptibly, 
and the depth of wells need vary little. 

Four miles southeast of Tenaha a sand 490 feet below the surface 
yields a flow described as "slightly sulphur." At Center sands at 
564 to 614 feet below the surface yield water satisfactory for loco- 
motive boilers. Over the entire county water suited for drinking 
and for boilers may be expected, though in a few wells sulphur 
water may be obtained. Where sulphur water appears in the upper 
portion of the reservoir it is always advisable to carry wells to the 
basal sands, if a good boiler water is desired, though it does not 
follow that such water will always be obtained. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 341 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Shelby County are given in the following table : 

Wells and springs in Shelby County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Authority. 


Diame- 
ter of 
well. 


Depth 

of 
well. 


Approxi- 
mate 

elevation 
of sur- 
face. 


947 


Shelbyville, 16 miles 
east, near Myrick 
Ferry. 

Tenaha, 4 miles south- 
east. 

Timpson, £ mile south 
of post office. 

Timpson 


W.T. Beck 


William Harrawood . 
J. B. Burus 


Incites. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


948 


The Flat Fork Oil Co.. 

T.C.Whiteside 

T. C. Whiteside et al 
Gulf, Colorado & 

Santa Fe Ry. 
City 


13 


1,200.. . . 


311. 


Q49 


T.C. Whiteside 




950 


T. U. Taylor & 




900 
623 

368 


392. 


951 


Center 




95? 


Center, 600 feet south- 
west of post office. 


Henry Lien, post- 
master. 


8 











No. 


Depths 
to princi- 
pal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 
(?) 


Head of 
water 
above 
(+)or 
below 
(-) 

ground. 


Flow 

per 

minute. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


947 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Gallons. 
2 


- 


Soft 

Some sul- 
phur. 


Spring on James Smith survey. 


948 


490 


+6 




Wilcox 


No other water beds encountered; 


949 




15 




drilled for oil by J. B. Burus in 
1907. 
Mineral spring. 


950 


700 

564 to 
614. 

368 


-80 




Wilcox 




Test well for oil. 


951 






do 


Good c 

Soft 


Used for locomotive boilers. 


959 


-40 




do 


Water supply for Center. Drilled 










by C. A. Lewis. 



a Veatch, A. C, Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas: 
Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 46, 1906, p. 234. 

b Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 65. 

c For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

951. Section of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co.'s well at Center, Tex. 

Feet. 

Yellow clay 0-10 

Wilcox formation: 

Brown shale 10-106 

Lignite 106-108 

Brown shale 1 108-240 

Sand 240-250 

Brown shale 250-320 

White sandstone 320-330 

Brown shale 330-356 

Lignite 356-358 

Brown shale ■ 358-372 

White sandstone 372-374 



342 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Wilcox formation — Continued. Feet. 

Brown shale 374-416 

"Stone coal" 416-417 

Brown shale 417-443 

Sandstone 443^45 

Brown shale 445-517 

' • Gray granite " (sandstone) 517-520 

Brown shale 520-556 

Sandstone §56-557 

Brown shale 557-562 

"Gray granite" (sandstone (?)) 562-564 

White sand, water-bearing 564-614 

Brown shale 614-623 

SMITH COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The Wilcox constitutes the outcropping formation over the major 
portion of Smith County, but in the extreme southern portion 
and in some scattering localities it is overlain by the Mount Selman 
formation. 

The sands of the Wilcox formation, which constitute the important 
available source of water, may be exploited at depths of 100 to 1,000 
feet. The area of flowing wells is confined to the valleys and the 
bottoms. (See PL VIII.) Two flowing wells (Nos. 954 and 960) have 
been sunk, and their success should encourage further development. 

Wilcox water in Smith County is potable except in the vicmity of 
the salines, of which there are two. Near these salines prospects for 
fresh water are not favorable. 

WELL DATA. 

Data on wells of Smith County are given in the following table: 

Wells in Smith County, Tex. 



No. 



Location. 



Owner. 



Authority. 



Diameter 
of well. 



Depth of 
well. 



Approxi- 
mate 
elevation 
of surface. 



953 

954 

955 
956 
957 

958 

959 

960 



Lindale, 5^ miles 

north. 
Lindale, 4 miles 

north. 

Tyler 

do 

do 

Tyler, 17 miles 

southwest. 
Tyler, 14 miles 

north. 



H. L. Tate 

Mrs. J. A. Dickert. 

Tyler Ice Co 

do 

Col. W. S. Hern- 
don. 



H. L. Tate 

Mrs. J. A. Dickert. 



(«) 

County clerk a 

Col. W. S. Herndono. 

J. H. Herndona 



County poor farm. T. U. Taylor b 



Inches. 
6 

15 

6 to 4... 



Feet. 
400 



500. 



Feet. 
±450. 

±559. 



60 

500 to 600. 
1,207 



460. 



a Veatch, A. C, Geologv and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas: 
Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survev No. 46, 1906, p. 234. 

'< Tavlor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. 
Survev No. 190, 1907, p. 66. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 

Wells in Smith County, Tex.- — Continued. 



343 



No. 


Depths of 
principal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 


Head of 

water 

above (+) 

orbelow(— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 




Pump. 


Flow. 




9 S3 


Feet. 

200 

150 


Feet. 
—14 


Galls. 


Galls. 


Wilcox 




Completed, 1900. 


954 


+18.. 




3 


do 


Soft 


Completed, 1898. 


<W 


-60 


100 






Temperature, 63° F. 


9=ifi 




Large . 
3 




Wilcox 






957 


400 


-100 


do 


Soft 

Brine 

...do 


Abandoned. 


958 








Abandoned salt works. 


959 












Brooks saline. 
Abandoned salt works. 


%0 




Strong 
flow. 






Wilcox 




Steen saline. 
Drilled for oil. 

















DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

957. Partial section of well owned by Col. W. S. Herndon, at Tyler, Tex. 

Feet. 

Blue clay 0-300 

Wilcox formation : 

Sandstone, very hard 300-302 

Sand 302- 

Clay. 

Sand, not water-bearing. 

Clay. 

Sand. 

TRINITY COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The northern half of Trinity County is occupied by the outcrop of 
the Yegua formation. These beds dip beneath the Catahoula sand- 
stone, which constitutes the surface formation in the southern half 
of the county. In the extreme southern corner the Fleming clay 
covers the Catahoula sandstone. (See PI. I.) 

Yegua formation. — The Yegua formation supplies water over the 
entire county. The area of flowing wells is limited to the lowlands. 
(See PI. VII, in pocket.) Thus far flows have been obtained at 
Groveton (well No. 964), 5 miles southeast of Lovelady (well No. 966), 
near Iris (well No. 968), and at Trinity. The waters of the first three 
were potable; that from a sand at a depth of 900 feet in the Trinity 
well is reported to have been salty. Artesian wells in this county 
should not be drilled to depths exceeding 1,000 feet. 

Catahoula sandstone. — In the southern half of Trinity County the 
Catahoula sandstone is available. Wells along the line extending 
from Trinity through Groveton to Potomac in order to draw water 



344 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



from these sands, will have to be from 30 to 150 feet in depth; in the 
south corner they will have to be 200 to 700 feet in depth. Between 
these limits the upper sands can be reached between 30 and 200 feet 
and the basal sands between 150 and 700 feet. Catahoula water 
will be potable, but its value in boilers is doubtful. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Trinity County are given in the following table: 

Wells in Trinity County, Tex. 



No. 



961 

962 

963 

964 
965 

966 

967 
968 

969 



Location. 



Groveton, £ mile 

southeast. 
Groveton, 2,200 feet 

southwest. 
Groveton, 2,000feet 

southwest. 

Groveton 

Westville, 200 

yards northwest 

of post office. 
Lovelady, 5 miles 

southeast. 

Trinity 

Iris, 4 miles east, 

near X e c h e s 

River, on Burrs 

Ferry. 
Iris, 500 yards east 

of post office. 



Owner. 



Groveton Light & 

Ice Co. 
Trinity County 

Lumber Co. 
....do 



....do 

West Lumber Co. 



J. fcl. Thompson 
Lumber Co. 



Douglas & Craw- 
ford. 



J. B. Roach. 



Driller. 



Layne & Bowler. 

....do 

....do 



E. L. McCloud.. 



Authority. 



John R. Collins . . . 

P. A. McCarthy, 

chief engineer. 
do 



John R.Collins... 
Luther L. Werner, 
postmaster. 

W.B.Collins 



N.H. Dartona 

A.P.Kimmeyand 
others. 



J. B. Roach. 



Diameter 
of well. 



Inches. 
6 



Depth of 
well. 



Feet. 
380. 

343. 

478. 

495. 
500. 

1,200. 

900+ . 
1,000±. 



No. 


Approxi- 
mate ele- 
vation of 
surface. 


Depths to 
principal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 


Head of 
water 

above Flow per 
(+) or be- j minute. 
low(-) 
ground. 


Source of 
water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


961 


Feet. 


Feet. 
194 to 307.. 

303 to 324.. 
458 to 478 


Feet. ! Galls. 
-60 j 


Yegua 

...do 

...do 


Soft 

...do 


Completed, 1906; water used 


962 
963 

964 


288 ... 
288 .... 


do 


for the manufacture of ice. 
Completed, 1907 (well No. 2). 
Completed, 1907; well No. 1; 






...do 




used in boilers. 
Well No. 3. 


965 




300 to 500.. 
[70 






...do 


Soft 

Ldo 

Salty; sul- 
phur. 


Completed, 1905; used in 
boilers. 

In a valley. Completed, 1903. 
Put down by the Houston 
County Development Co. in 






Flow 

+40 


Many . . . 
...do.... 


...do 

...do 


966 


^304 

l550(?).... 


< search of oil. Two wells 




Flow 


...do.... 


...do (?)... 


were put down; the first 


967 




Few 


...do 


struck a flow of water at 70 
. feet and was abandoned. 


968 
969 




197 to 234.. 




...do 


Oil test well; completed, 1904; 










Soft 


abandoned. 
Spring. 











aDarton. N. H., Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States: Water-Supply Paper U. S. 
Geol. Survey No. 149, 1905, p. 154. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 345 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

961. Section ofGroveton Light & Ice Co.'s well, $ mile southeast of post office at Grove- 

ton, Tex. 

[Supplied by John R. Collins.] 

Catahoula sandstone and Yegua formation: Feet. 

Sand and clay 0- 24 

Soft shale 24- 73 

Lignite 73- 75 

Muddy sand 75-98 

Shale and lignite 98-120 

Lignite 120-130 

Shale 130-140 

Sand 140-142 

Shale 142-186 

Sandstone 186-194 

Mud and sand ; water-bearing 194-215 

Clay and sand 215-236 

Shale rock 236-242 

Gumbo 242-267 

Sandstone 267-270 

Gumbo 270-276 

Rock 276-282 

Gumbo 282-289 

Sand 289-291 

Gumbo 291-306 

Sand ; water-bearing 306-310 

Gumbo and layers of rock 310-360 

Sandrock 360-379 

Gumbo 379-380 

962. Section of Trinity County Lumber Co.'s well No. 2, 2,200 feet southwest of post 

office at Groveton, Tex. 

[Furnished by P. A. McCarthy, chief engineer. 

Catahoula sandstone: Feet. 

Sandy clay 0- 57 

Chalk rock 57- 72 

Sand 72- 79 

Hard sandstone 79- 81 

Yegua formation: 

Lignite 81-88 

Chalk rock 88-101 

Lignite 101-105 

Sandy shale 105-188 

Shale 188-209 

Sandstone 209-219 

Shale 219-235 

Gumbo 235-257 

Soapstone 257-278 

Gumbo 278-296 

Sharp sand, water-bearing 296-324 

Gumbo and soapstone : 324-327 

Lignite 327-343 

6-inch casing to 306 feet; 6-inch strainer from 306 to 327 feet : 6-inch casing from 327 
to 346 feet. 



346 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

963. Section of Trinity County Lumber Co. 'a well No. J. 9,000 feet southwest of post 

office, at Groveton, Tex. 

[Furnished by P. A. McCarthy, chief engineer.] 

Feet . 

Sand 0- 12 

v'atahoula sandstone and Yegua formation: 

Hard layers 12- 52 

Lignite 52-61 

Rock 61- 70 

Sand 70- 76 

Shale 76- 85 

Sandy shale 85-199 

Sandrock 199-207 

Shale 207-214 

Rock 214-222 

Shale 222-227 

White rock 227-232 

Soapstone and gumbo 232-303 

Sandy shale 303-315 

Soapstone 315-337 

Hard lignite 337-354 

Hard shale 354-376 

Soapstone 376-388 

Rock 388-395 

Gumbo 395-409 

Soapstone and gumbo 409-434 

Sandy clay 434-436 

Sandrock 436-440 

Sandy clay 440-446 

Sandrock, water-bearing 446-449 

Sharp fine sand, water-bearing 449-464 

Sandrock 464-467 

Sand 467-469 

Soapstone and gumbo 469-478 

8^-inch casing to 446 feet 6 inches; 8^-inch strainer from 446 feet 6 inches to 466 feet 
6 inches; 8J-inch casing from 466 feet 6 inches to 478 feet. 

968. Partial section of well 4 miles east of Iris, near Neches River, Tex. 

Yegua formation: 

Black sand and clay; oil at 7 feet; one-half foot Ft. in. Ft. in. 

rock at 20 feet 0- 160 2 

Blalcksand 160 2- 178 2 

Hard sand 178 2- 197 6 

Sand; artesian flow; oil on water 197 6- 234 11 

Partial record ; 3 feet rock 234 11- 253 11 

Partial record; 2 feet shale 253 11- 274 11 

Shale 274 11- 296 11 

Partial record; sand 10 feet 296 11- 313 11 

Shale 313 11- 356 1 

Partial record ; 1 foot rock ; gas 356 1- 375 10 

Noreeord;oil 375 10- 395 4 

Rock 395 4- 414 1 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



347 



Cook Mountain and Mount Selman formations: Ft. in. Ft. in. 

" Shell" 414 1- 433 10 

Norecord;oil 433 10- 475 8 

Shaleandoil 475 8- 494 8 

Record wanting 494 8-1, 000=fc 

TYLER COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The northern east-west belt of Tyler County is occupied by the 
outcrop of the Catahoula sandstone. These beds dip beneath the 




/Vo.A. 



Vail Sun 



I '/z 

i [_ 



4- 5 Mile3 



Figube 17.— Wells in the vicinity of Rockland. 



Fleming clay, which occupies the central belt and which in turn 
dips beneath the Lissie gravel. (See PL I.) 

Yegua formation. — In the north the sands of the Yegua forma- 
tion will yield flowing wells (well No. 980) . The sands lie about 1,200 
feet below sea level and their water is not suitable for use. Shal- 
lower, nonflowing wells from the overlying horizons are recommended. 



348 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



Catahoula sandstone. — In the north, along the Missouri, Kansas 
& Texas Railway, wells in the Catahoula reservoir can be developed 
at depths ranging from sea level to 500 feet below. The reser- 
voir deepens toward the south until in the vicinity of Warren wells 
will have to go from 800 to 1,500 feet below sea level. It will gen- 
erally not be advisable to go deeper than 1,200 feet below sea level, 
especially as satisfactory supplies will generally be obtainable at 
shallower depths. The region of flowing wells is limited to the 
lowlands adjacent to Neches River. (See PI. VIII, in pocket.) 
Catahoula water will in most wells prove potable and fairly well 
adapted for boilers. Figure 17 shows wells in the Catahoula sand- 
stone near Rockland. 

Dewitt formation. — The Dewitt formation presents possibilities in 
the southern part of the county, where flows are particularly de- 
sired, but wells to it should not be deeper than 1,000 feet. (See 
PI. IX, in pocket.) 

Lissie gravel. — The Lissie gravel in the southern part of the county 
is not under cover. It may, therefore, not be expected to produce 
flowing wells except in the Neches bottoms close to the Hardin 
County line. 

In the northern part of the county this formation is very thin and 
can supply only shallow surface wells. It thickens toward the 
south, and here may be expected to yield abundant water adapted 
to every use in wells 100 to 200 feet deep. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Tyler County are given in the following table: 

Wells and springs in Tyler County, Tex. 



No. 



Location. 



Survey, headright, or 
street. 



Owner. 



Authority. 



970 

971 

972 
973 

974 

975 



976 
978 

979 



Pedigo, 1§ miles north- 
east. 

Pedigo, 2 miles north- 
west. 

Mobile, \ mile north. . . 

Woodville, 9 miles 
west. 

Doucette 



J. T. Crumpler. 



F. A. Rodgers. 



Chester, 7 miles north- 
east. 



Hyatt 

Colmesneil, 3 miles 

northwest. 
Townblufl 

Rockland, \ miles 
south. 



Whitehead Hill, S. * sec. 
8, B. B. & C R. R. 
survey. 



John Schillings survey. 

W. W. Hanks survey. . 
D. H. Vail League 



Thompson Bros. Lum- 
ber Co. 
Dr. Guilder heirs 



Rice Bros 

Oklahoma-Texas Oil 
Co. 



Kountze Bros. 



William Kennedy.o 

J. T. Crumpler. 

J. F. Walker. 
Postmaster. 

Do. 

D. S. Whitehead. 



W. C McBride. 
J. C. Harelson. 

Tom Mann. 
E. T. Dumble and 
others. 



a Hayes, C W.,and Kennedy, William, Oilfields of the Texas- Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain: Bull. U. S. 
Geol. Survey No. 212, 1903, p. 57. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 
Wells and springs in Tyler County, Tex. — Continued. 



349 



No. 


Diameter of 
well. 


Depth of well. 


Approximate 

elevation of 

surface. 


Depths to princi- 
pal water-bear- 
ing strata. 


Head of water 

above ( + ) or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 




Pump. 


Flow. 


970 


Inches. 


Feet. 
824 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 
Flowed(?) 


Galls. 


Galls. 


971 














25. 


07? 
















073 




033(?) 






No flow(?) 






074 


8.. 


344 






-50 


66 




975 


8 


1,000+ 




200 


No flow ... 




976 




500(?) 












078 




2,103 .' 






—200 1 




070 




1,000± 






Flows(?) 1 




osn 




1,550 


230 


1,070 to 1,130.... 


Flows j 

















No. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


070 






Drilled for oil. 


971 




Iron and sulphur.. 
Sulphur 


Spring. 
Do. 


97? 




073 






Drilled for oil. 


974 


Catahoula(?) 




Completed, 1903; used for boiler purposes. 
Oil test well; drilled by J. F. Wagnon, in 1905. 
Oil test well. 


975 


do 




976 




Good 


978 






Oil test well; completed, 1905; abandoned. 


979 






Oil test well; abandoned. 


980 


Yegua 


Salty 


Drilled for oil; abandoned. Completed, 1005. 








(Well No. 4, fig. 17, p. 347.) 



DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

970. Section of well, 1% miles northeast of Pedigo, between Rush and Wolf creeks and 2 

miles from Neches River, Tyler County, Tex. 

Feet. 

Clay 0- 8 

Sand and gravel 8-168 

Clay 168-172 

Coarse sand with some gravel 172-600 

Blue shale; slight indications of oil and gas 600-660 

Blue sand 660-824 

No division of this record is possible, but from the depth it must have been drilled 

into the Catahoula sandstone, the last 224 feet at least apparently belonging to that 

formation. 
975. D. S. Whitehead writes: "Sulphur water was found at 200 feet. Then the 

drill entered into what was called a blue sulphur shale * * *. They found many 

species of shells * * *. This blue shale * * * continued down to 1,000 

feet." 
The sulphur water probably came from a bed in the Catahoula sandstone, of which 

about 600 feet must have been penetrated. The fossiliferous marls beneath were 

probably the Jackson formation. 

980. Section of Kountze Bros.' well No. 4, on the D. H. Vail League, three-fourths mile 

southeast of Rockland, Tex. 

[Furnished by E. T. Dumble. See fig. 17, p. 347.] 
Catahoula sandstone : Feet. 

Gray sand 0- 32 

Green sandstone 32- 50 

Shalyrock 50- 60 

Quicksand 60- 70 



350 GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

Catahoula sandstone- -Continued. Feet. 

Gray sandrock 70- 85 

Gravel and sand 85- 90 

Greensand 90- 100 

Blue shale 100- 105 

Record missing 105- 109 

Gravel and bowlders 109- 120 

Hard sandrock 120- 140 

Blue gumbo 140- 150 

Green shale 150- 200 

Loose gray sand 200- 235 

Sandstone 235- 240 

Sandrock with strata of green clay 240- 286 

Green shale with layers of sandrock 286- 322 

Gray sand 322- 326 

Bluegumbo 326- 330 

Green shale with sand and gravel 330- 370 

Hard limestone 370- 375 

Hard gray sand; some gas and oil 375- 380 

Bluegumbo 380- 420 

Green shale 420- 555 

Dark gray sand with hard strata 555- 585 

Hard strata; dark-gray sand 585- 635 

Hard dark-gray sandrock 635- 651 

Gumbo and sand 651- 670 

Dark-gray sand with gumbo 670- 775 

Dark-gray sandrock 775- 780 

Jackson and Yegua formations: 

Bluegumbo 780- 852 

Green shale with shell 852-1, 015 

Sand, gravel, stone; some gas 1, 015-1, 035 

Blue gumbo 1, 035-1, 070 

Dark-gray sand beds, spiral shell 1, 070-1, 130 

Green marl 1, 130-1, 162 

Green marl with shells 1, 162-1, 300 

Green marl 1, 30O-1, 378 

Green marl mixed with shell 1, 378-1, 550 

UPSHUR COUNTY. 

The Wilcox constitutes the outcropping formation over the major 
portion of Upshur County. In a few isolated localities remnants of 
the former much more extensive cover of the Mount Selman formation 
persist. 

The Wilcox formation constitutes the available source of water. 
The area of flows is limited to the lowlands adjacent to the Sabine. 
(See PI. VIII, in pocket.) 

In the western portion of the county these sands will be encountered 
in wells ranging from 200 feet above sea level to 200 feet below. In 
the eastern portion they can be reached at depths ranging from 200 
feet above sea level to 500 feet below. So far as known no artesian 
wells have ever been attempted in the county. Potable water and 
good boiler water are probably obtainable over the entire county. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 



351 



VAN ZANDT COUNTY. 



GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The northwestern portion of Van Zandt County is occupied by the 
outcrop of the clays and limestones of the Midway formation, and the 
remainder by sands of the Wilcox formation. Geologic conditions 
are not favorable for the occurrence of flowing wells in this county. 
The Woodbine sand of the Cretaceous is buried too deeply to be avail- 
able; -the Nacatoch sand is embedded beneath the entire county but 
would probably yield salt water; and the Wilcox formation, not being 
under cover, can supply only nonflowing wells. 

It may be possible to obtain local flows from the Wilcox in the 
Sabine River bottoms, in the extreme northeast corner of the county, 
but this is uncertain. (See PI. VIII, in pocket.) In the central third 
of the county the Wilcox is very thin and will supply only shallow 
surface wells. It thickens and the beds dip toward the east. Along 
the eastern line the sands of the Wilcox formation will supply wells 
that go down to depths from 300 feet above to 150 feet below sea level. 

A fault crosses this county southward from Grand Saline, and along 
it the water is probably salty. (See fig. 6, p. 85.) At Wills Point 
salt water is found from 178 to 1,130 feet below the surface. 

In other portions of the county away from the fault lines the chances 
are favorable for potable and good boiler waters in the sands of the 
Wilcox. The beds have thus far not been much exploited for artesian 
waters. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Van Zandt County are given in the following 

table: 

Wells and springs in Van Zandt County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Authority. 


Diameter 
of -well. 


Depth 
of well. 


Approxi- 
mate 
eleva- 
tion of 

surface. 


981 


Grand Saline 


Lone Star Co 


William Kennedy* 
do.b 


Inches. 


Feet. 

359 

520 

875 

315 

285 

280 
285 

100 

103 


Feet. 
408. 


98? 


Grand Saline, J mile 
west(?)ofwellNo.9S. 

Grand Saline, 1 mile 

south-west. 
do 

Grand Saline 


Richardson 




378. 


983 
984 


A. Wilderspin 

Southern Salt Co 


A. Wilderspin, 

president. 
do 


9 


467. 


985 


Grand Saline Salt Co. . 
Fielder Salt Co 


Postmaster 






986 


do 


do 






987 


do 

Fruitvale 


B. W. Carrington Salt 

Co. 
J. A. Lewis 


do 






989 


do 


8 

8 




990 
991 


do 

Fruitvale, 1 mile north- 
west. 

Wills Point, 6 miles 
southeast. 

Wills Point, 1,200 feet 
northeast of post 
office. 

Wills Point 


J. H. Creagle 

G. C Rochell 


do 

C. A. Cowy 




99? 


W. D. Childs 


N. E. Farrell 

Gibbard & Gibbard 

N. H. Darton « 
do. c 


12 

6 

6 


75 

1,200.... 

1,100.... 
650 


800(?). 


993 
994 


Johnson Gin Co 


434 (?). 


995 


Myrtle Springs 






996 


Primrose, 3 miles east. . 


R. J. Coleman 


R. J. Coleman 













a Kennedy, William, A section from Terrell, Kaufman Countv, to Sabine Pass, on the Gulf of Mexico: 
Third Ann. Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, pp. 76-77. 

t> Idem, p. 77. 

c Darton, X. H., Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States: Water -Supply Paper U. S. 
Geol. Survey No. 149. 1905, p. 154. 



352 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 
Wells and springs i/t Van Zandt County, Tex. — Continued. 



No. 


Depths to 
principal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 


Head of 
water above 

( + )or 
below (— ) 

ground. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 




Feet. 
(80 to 85 


Feet. 


"Wilcox 




) 


981 


{150 to 164.. 




(?) 


>Sunk for salt. 




[178 




(?) Saltv 


f 




120 to 26, 
\ 28 to 30. 
1514 to 520.. 




Wilcox 


1 




9R? 




(?) 


Bored for salt. 








983 




-40 




Show of oil; well abandoned because of 




(34 to 37, 
{ 80 to 85. 
[140 to 168.. 




Wilcox 


breaking of bit; considerable oil at bot- 
tom; drilled in 1900 by T. J. Marsden. 


984 







Salty 




985 










986 










987 








• 


989 








990 








991 






Soft 

Iron 

(?) 

Saltv 


Spring. 


99? 


53 


-48 


Sold for medicinal purposes; temperature 


993 
994 


/180 

\1,130 


(?) 

-65 


Midway (?) 

Xacatoch 


65° F.; completed 1900. 
(Drilled by W. M. Morgan in 1907; not 
I used; water lowered 400 feet by pump- 
l ing. 


995 








Unsuccessful. 


9% 








Soft 


Buford Springs. 














DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

981. Section of Lone Star Co.'s well near Grand Saline station, Tex. 

Feet. 

Brownish-gray sandy clay 0- 26 

Brown sand 26- 34 

Sand and gravel 34- 37 

Black shaly clay 37- 57 

Lignite 57- 60 

Sandy shaly clay 60- 80 

Sand and water 80- 85 

Sandy clay shale 85-150 

Sand and water 150-164 

Hard white sand with vein of salt water; 5 per cent salt 164-178 

Hard sandrock 178-184 

Shale containing pyrites 184-188 

Blue limestone mixed with streaks of sand and gray limestone, 

but blue forming chief deposit 188-230 

Gypsum 230-235 

Rock salt 235-359 

982. Section of Richardson 's well at Grand Saline, Tex. 

Feet. 

Soil, brownish-black sand 0-3 

Sandy clay 3 - 15 

Gravel and clay 15 -20 

Yellow sand and water 20 - 26 

Fine blue clay and gravel 26 - 28 

Quicksand with water 28 - 30 

Coarse white sand 30 - 35 

Blue-gray merging into bluish black dirt with iron pyrites 
and broken limestone 35 - 83 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 353 

Feet. 

Hard gray limestone 83 - 86 

Sandy shaly clay (slate?) 86 -103 

Blue clay with iron pyrites 103 -123 

Shales? 123 -132 

Shale with iron pyrites 132 -137 

Sandy shale with pyrites 137 -149 

Sandstone with pyrites 149 -163 

Hard blue limestone 163 -188 

Hard gray limestone 188 -191. 5 

Quicksand 191.5 -194 

Alternate strata of salt and limestone 194 -212 

Rock salt 212 -512 

Bluish-gray sand 512 -514 

Black sand with water, in bottom of well, not bored through. 514 -520 

984. Section of Southern Salt Co.'s well, 1 mile southwest of Grand Saline, Tex. 

[Furnished by A. Wilderspin, president.] Feet. 

Red clay 0-26 

Sandy clay 26-34 

Sand and gravel, water bearing 34- 37 

Wilcox formation: 

Black shale 37-57 

Lignite 57-60 

Sandy clay. . 60-80 

Sand and water 80-85 

Sandy shale 85-150 

Sand and water; oil, yellow in color 150-164 

Formation doubtful: 

Hard white sand ; salt water 164-178 

Hard sandrock 178-184 

Shale containing pyrites 184-188 

Blue limestone mixed with streaks of sand and gray lime- 
stone 188-230 

Gypsum 230-235 

Rock salt, not penetrated 235-315 

In January, 1908, Mr. Wilderspin states that oil appeared in this well, flooding the 
brine tanks supplied by the salt water (well is being used in the manufacture of salt.) 
The oil is stated to have been accompanied by considerable gas. 

WALLER COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The northern half of Waller County is occupied by the outcrop of 
the Dewitt formation, the southern half by that of the Lissie gravel. 
The Catahoula sandstone is embedded beneath the entire county. 

Catahoula sandstone. — The Catahoula constitutes an important 
water-bearing formation. The area of flowing wells, however, is 
limited to the Brazos bottoms. The 1,110-foot sand in the Hemp- 
stead well (No. 1000) belongs probably to the Catahoula. The water 
is reported as being soft and well adapted to use in boilers. 

The depth to the Catahoula is an obstacle to its more general devel- 
opment. (See PI. VIII, in pocket.) Along the north line wells 

14926°— wsp 335—14 23 



354 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



must go from 1,000 to 1,500 feet, and toward the south from 2,000 
to 2,500 feet, below sea level. Wells going more than 1,200 feet 
below sea level are not to be recommended because of the doubtful 
quality of the water. 

Dewitt formation. — The Dewitt formation will furnish water any- 
where in the county. West of a line passing through Waller and 
Sealy wells will have to be from 50 to 700 feet in depth, and east of 
this line from 50 to 2,000 feet. The depth to the basal members of 
this formation varies from 500 feet along the north line to approxi- 
mately 2,000 feet along the south line. These basal sands may be 
expected to yield flows in the Brazos bottoms south of Hempstead, 
but will probably, though not certainly, fail to do so on the divides. 

Water from the Dewitt will commonly be potable and fairly good 
for use in boilers. For the latter, however, it is not so well adapted 
as the water from the Lissie gravel. 

Lissie gravel. — The Lissie gravel is not under cover and will there- 
fore probably not yield flowing wells, even at the lowest altitudes in 
the county. It yields adequate supplies to nonflowing wells and is 
largely utilized for this purpose. (See PI. VII, in pocket.) 

From Waller south the Lissie gravel mantles the entire county. 
Near Waller it is not over 25 to 30 feet thick, but along the south line 
it measures possibly 300 feet, and is capable of supplying abundant 
water. 

The Lissie water is potable and most of it is adapted to boilers. 
In places it is used for rice irrigation with favorable results. 

WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Waller County are given in the following table: 

Wells and springs in Waller County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Authority. 


Diame- 
ter of 
well. 


Depth of 
well. 


Approxi- 
mate ele- 
vation of 
surface. 


997 


Brookshire, 4 miles 

north. 
do 

Hempstead, near well 

No. 1000. 
Hempstead, Main and 

Thirteenth St., 300 

yards south of post 

office. 
Hempstead 


L. Gassner 


L. Gassner 

C. Wilson 


Inches. 
91 

9f 


Feet. 
127 

137 
1,800.... 

1,131 

400 

850 

485 

100 
102 
1,750.... 


Feet. 


998 


C Wilson 


H5(?). 


999 




John C. Amsler 


1000 


Citizen's Water Co 


do 


4* 

4* 

1 


251(?). 


1001 


A. F. Buchanan 

Ruf us Hardy 


T. U. Taylor o 


1002 


Hempstead, 6 miles 

south. 
Hempstead, 5 miles 

northwest. 
Katy,near 




1003 


Heber Stone 




1004 


C. J. Nelson 


dob 




1005 


do 


Wm. Eule 








1006 


Waller, 5 miles south 
( Polly Percy League). 


J. C. Ralston 


J.C. Ralston 


6 











a Taylor, T. U., Underground waters of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geo*. 
Survey No. 190, 1907, p. 41. 
t> Taylor, T. U., Rice irrigation in Texas: Bull. Univ. Texas No. 16, 1902, p. 23. 
c Idem, pp. 23-24. 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 

Wells and springs in Waller County, Tex. — Continued. 



355 





Depths of 
principal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 


Head of 

water 

above 

(+)or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


No. 


Pump. 


Flow. 


997 


Feet. 
43,65 

100 

1,130-1,150. 
(60 


Feet. 
-51 

-52 


Galls. 
800 


Galls. 


Lissie 




Used for rice irrigation; 


998 


450 




do 




completed 1903. 
Used for rice irrigation; 


999 






Catahoula 




completed 1904. 
Drilled for oil. 




No flow... 






Dewitt(?) 




[Temperature 80° F. used 
1 for boilers and public 


1000 


•Uoo 


.do 






Dewitt 






U,n6 


+10 




100.... 
15 


Catahoula 


Soft 


supply ; drilled by Gust. 
1 Warnecke iu 1897. 


1002 


Flows 




1003 




...do 




40 








1004 


70 to 100 








Lissie 




Used for rice irrigation. 


1005 


72 to 102.. 








do 




Do. 




[47 


No flow... 






do 


1 




1006 


<780 


...do 






Dewitt 


Drilled by Bell & Max- 




U,210 


—47. 






do 


1 


well for oil in 1905. 















DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

998. Section of well owned by C. Wilson, 4 miles north of Brookshire, Tex. 

Lissie gravel: Feet. 

Red clay 0-52 

Sand and gravel; water bearing 52- 77 

Clay 77-100 

Sand and gravel; water bearing 100-137 

Forty-foot screen from 97 to 137 feet; no strainer at the upper water-bearing bed. 

1006. J. C. Ralston writes: "This well was dug for oil, and no effort was made to 
develop a water supply. A stratum of coarse sand and gravel 20 feet thick at 47 feet 
carried water. At about 740 feet a stratum of white sand 40 feet thick carried water. 
At 1,210 feet a stratum of water sand 35 feet thick was struck. At this point, I think, 
a flowing well could have been developed, but, oil being the object sought, little 
attention was paid to water. Drilling continued to 1,750 feet. At 1,740 feet we 
struck rock; we drilled into this rock 10 feet and then suspended work. " 

WALKER COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The extreme northern portion of Walker County is occupied by 
the outcrop of the Yegua formation. This is succeeded on the south 
by the Catahoula sandstone, which occupies the greater part of 
the northern half of the county. The Fleming clay lies south 
of the Catahoula. The Dewitt formation lies stratigraphically above 
the Fleming, outcropping in the western portion of the southern half 
of the county. The southeastern part of the county is characterized 
by the outcrop of the Lissie gravel, which lies geologically above the 
Dewitt. 



356 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



The important water-bearing formations available in the county 
are the Catahoula and the Dewitt. The Yegua and the Lassie are 
also available, but are less important. 

Yegua formation. — The Yegua reservoir will supply water in the 
northern two-thirds of the county to wells ranging from 50 to 600 
feet in depth along the northern line to 1,300 to 1,900 feet in the 
vicinity of Elm in a. Water from 1,500 feet will generally not be 
adapted for use. Where it is necessary to go down 1,500 feet to 
develop a supply from the Yegua, it is preferable to depend on the 
Catahoula or the Dewitt. (See PL VII, in pocket.) 

Catahoula sandstone. — The Catahoula reservoir will supply the 
major portion of the county with water. In the north corner the 
beds are thin and can only supply wells 100 to 200 feet deep. In 
the vicinity of Huntsville they attain a thickness of 500 feet, and in 
the southern portion of the county they will supply wells 700 to 
1,300 feet deep. Available data indicate that the water is hard, 
though it is used in boilers. In places good boiler waters may be 
developed. (See PL YIII, in pocket.) 

Deicitt * formation. — The sandstones of the Dewitt formation will 
supply the southern half of the county. Any well 50 to 100 feet 
deep along a line extending from Oakhurst to Anderson, or 200 to 
600 feet deep in the southeast coiner of the county, may expect a 
supply from these sands. Flows need not be looked for. Such water 
will generally be potable, but for boilers it will be only fairly satis- 
factory. (See PL IX, in pocket.) 

Lissie gravel. — The Lissie gravel in the southern portion of the 
county is only 20 to 150 feet thick, and therefore can supply only 
shallow surface wells. Flowing wells of potable water in this county 
can probably be obtained only in Trinity River bottoms. 



WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Walker County are given in the following table: 

Wells in Walker County, Tex. 



No. 


Location. 


Owner. 


Authority. 


Diameter 
of well. 


i Approxi- 

Depth of mate ele- 

well. vationof 

surface. 


1007 


Elmina, J mile Walker Count v C. H. Pilmey 

northeast of post Lumber Co. 
office. 

Huntsville Huntsville Electric Postmaster 

Light & Ice Co. 

do HuntsviLle Water- do 

works. 

do Tptss Stat* Ppni- t Pr*»H "R Smith 


Inches. 
8 


Feet. Feet. 
500 ' 5S(?). 


1008 


6 


335 


1009 


* 


360 

2,203 




1010 


9 








tentiary. 









SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 

Wells in Walker County, Tex. — Continued. 



357 



No. 


Depths of 
principal 
water-bear- 
ing strata. 


Height of 
water above 

( + )or 

below (— ) 

ground. 


Pumps 

per 
minute. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 


1007 
1008 


Feet. 
450 


Feet. 
-200 


Galls. 
150 


Dewitt(?) 


Hard , . . 


Used for boiler purposes; com- 
pleted 1906. 


1009 














1010 


339, 417-484 


No flow. 




Catahoula 


(a) 


Used for boiler purposes; 
drilled by C. H. Robinson in 
1892. 









« For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 
DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

1010. Section of Texas State Penitentiary well at Huntsville, Tex. 

Feet. 

Clays and sandy clay, with water bed at 339 feet 0- 417 

Water-bearing sand 417- 494 

Clays, etc 494-1, 000 

Sand 1, 000-1, 159 

Clays 1, 159-1, 576 

Sands 1, 576-2, 203 

The record is evidently very generalized. It would seem from the depth reached 
by this well that it penetrated the Fleming, Catahoula, Yegua, Cook Mountain, and 
probably the Mount Selman formations. 

WOOD COUNTY. 

GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY. 

The Wilcox, which constitutes the outcropping formation over the 
entire area of Wood County (see PL I), likewise constitutes the only 
available source of artesian water, the Cretaceous horizons being 
too deeply embedded for practical development. 

The Wilcox will yield copious supplies in nonflowing wells (well 
No. 1013), but not being under cover it will yield flows only in the 
Sabine River bottoms. (See PL VIII, in pocket.) The only flowing 
well thus far drilled in the county is near Hawkins, close to Sabine 
River. 

In the western portion of Wood County the Wilcox is perhaps 200 
feet thick. The beds dip slightly east. Along the eastern line wells 
may be finished in them at 200 feet below sea level. Over the entire 
county they will produce abundant water. 

All of the Wilcox water in Wood County is good, though certain 
beds may yield sulphurous supplies. At Mineola and Quitman the 
water is used in boilers, and at Mineola it is reputed to have 
medicinal value. 



358 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 



WELL DATA. 

Details of wells in Wood County are given in the following table: 

Wells and springs in Wood County, Tex. 



No. 



ion 

1012 
1013 



1014 
1015 

1016 
1017 
1018 

1019 



Location. 



Mineola 

Mineola, 1,200 feet 
south of post office. 

Mineola, corner John- 
son and Broad 
streets, 300 feet 
southeast of post 
office. 

Mineola 

Alba, 100 yards south- 
west of post office. 

Quitman 

do 

Quitman, 300 feet 
south of post office. 

Hawkins, 1£ miles 
west. 



Owner. 



Mrs. M. A. Ferguson.. 
Mineola Light & Ice 

Co. 
City 



Mrs. E. J. Henry. 
F.N.Hopkins.... 



Wright & Bros. 
"Wood County.. 
Sam Benton... 



A. W.Campbell (?). 



Authority. 



Mrs. E. E. Ford. 
A. Patten 



.do. 



Postmaster . 
....do 



do 

do 

Dr. J. B. 

smith. 
John Gillis . 



Gold- 



Diame- 
ter of 
well. 



Inches. 

4 

6 



Depth 
of well. 



Feet. 
350. . . . 
310.... 



1,202. 



300.. 
479.. 

500.. 
500.. 
450.. 

271.. 



Approxi- 
mate ele- 
vation of 
surface. 



Feet. 



400±. 



380± 



No. 


Depths to 
principal 
water- 
bearing 
strata. 


Head of 
water above 
( + ) or be- 
low (-) 
ground. 


Yield per 
minute. 


Source of water. 


Quality. 


Remarks. 




Pump. 


Flow. 




1011 


Feet. 
350 

(70-71 

75-80 

110-115.... 

115. 5-125. . 

229-235.... 

310.. 

(12-20 ' 

75-80 ! 

110-125....' 

229-239....) 

270-280. . . . 

281-300. . . . 

310-320. . . . 

380-406. . . . 

406-408. ... 

480-490. ... 

495-505 

510-530. . . . 

439 

400 

160 


Feet. 
40 


Galls. 


Galls. 


Wilcox 

do 


Soft 

..do.o 




1012 


—48 






Temperature, 68° F. Used 
in boilers. Drilled by C. 
Witherspoon in 1900; a sec- 
ond well 300 feet deep is 
near this one. 




•No flow... 












-40 






Wilcox 


.. .do.o 


Used for medicinal pur- 
, poses; completed 1890(?). 
Temperature, 70° F. 


1013 


-No flow . . . 






do 




1015 


No flow . . . 
-30 

+ 16 


60 




do 


...do 


Used for public supply; 
completed. 1903. 

Water supply for Quitman; 
temperature, 60° F.; com- 
pleted, 1901. 

Completed, 1886. 


1018 


50 






Sulphur. . . 
Good 


1019 




4 


Wilcox 









a For analysis, see table facing p. 110. 
DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 

1012. Section of Mineola Light 6c Ice Co.'s well at Mineola, Tex. 

Feet. 

Soil 0-1 

Wilcox formation : 

Red clay 1-12 

Gray sand 12 - 20 

Black clay 20 -25 

Brown clay 25 - 35 

Blue clay 35 -50 



SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 359 

Wilcox formation — Continued. Feet. 

Brown clay, mica, and sand 50 - 66 

Lignite, sand, and iron pyrites 66 - 70 ' 

Sandstone, water bearing 70 - 71 

Blue clay 71 -75 

Gray sand and water 75 - 80 

Blue clay 80 -100 

Black clay 100 -110 

Sandstone, water bearing 110 -115 

Blue clay 115 -115. 5 

Sandstone, water bearing 115. 5-125 

Gray clay and pyrites 125 -170 

Gray clay 170 -180 

Gray-blue clay and limestone 180 -200 

Gray sandrock 200 -215 

Black clay limestone 215 -221 

Dark limestone 221 -223 

Gray sand and mica 223 -228 

Blue clay, mica, and pyrites 228 -229 

Gray micaceous sand, water bearing 229 -235 

Sandstone 235 -239 

Black clay 239 -265 

White joint clay 265 -270 

Gray clay and sand 270 -280 

Lignite 280 -281 

White clay 281 -300 

Potter's clay 300 -310 

White sand and water 310 -320 

Samples preserved of each stratum. 

1013. Partial section of well at Mineola, Tex. 1 

Top soil 0-1 

Wilcox formation: 

Red clay 1-12 

Gray or white sand, with water 12 - 20 

Brownish-black clay 20 - 25 

Brown clay 25 - 35 

Blue clay 35 -50 

Brown clay, sand, and mica 50 - 66 

Lignite, sand, and iron pyrites 66 - 70 

Sandstone, with water 70 - 71 

Blue clay or mud 71 - 75 

Gray sandstone, with water 75 - 80 

Blue clay 80 -100 

Potter's clay 100 -110 

Sandstone, with water 110 -115 

Gray or blue clay 115 -115. 5 

Sandstone, with water 115. 5-125 

Bluish-gray clay and pyrites 125 -170 

Bluish-gray clay, with some sand 170 -180 

Blue clay, with limestone bowlders 180 -200 

Gray sand 200 -215 

1 Dumble, E. T., Report on the brown coal and lignite of Texas: Geol. Survey Texas, 1892, pp. 132-135. 



360 SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS COASTAL PLAIN. 

Wilcox formation — Continued. Feet. 

Black clay, with limestone, pyrites, etc 215 -221 

Dark limestone 221 -223 

Gray sand and mica 223 -228 

Black and blue clay, mica, and pyrites 228 -229 

Gray sand, mica, brown clay, and water 229 -235 

Sandstone, with water 235 -239 

Brown-black clay 239 -205 

White clay 265 -270 

White or gray sand, mica, and pyrites, with water 270 -280 

Lignite 280 -281 

White clay, with thin strata or sand, with water 281 -300 

Brown clay and white sand 300 -310 

White sand, with water 310 -320 

Brown clay and lignite 320 -340 

Brown joint clay 340 -342 

Gray sand 342 -350 

Gray sand and lignite 350 -360 

Gray sand and pyrites 360 -370 

White sand 370 -375 

Grayish-white sand and black mud 375 -380 

Coarse white sand, with grains of lignite and water 380 -400 

Brown clay 400 -105 

Lignite 405 -406 

White sand, very coarse, with water 406 -408 

Lignite 408 -411 

Grayclay 411 -413 

Grayish-white clay 413 -416 

Brown clay 416 —421 

Dark-brown clay 421 -422 

Black mud 422 -424 

Black mud. sand, and lignite 424 -426 

Iron pyrites and black mud 426 -430 

Black-brown clay and pyrites 430 -460 

Lignite 460 -475 

Black-brown clay 475 -480 

Gray sand, with water 480 -490 

Lignite 490 -495 

White sand, with water 495 -505 

Dark-brown joint clay 505 -515 

Gray sand, mica, and water 515 -530 

Midway (?) formation: 

Dark-brown clay 530 -550 

Grayish-blue clay 550 -575 

Dark-brown clay 575 -595 

Joint clay and sand at bottom of boring 595 -600 

The record below 600 to 1,200 feet was not well kept and is not available. 

1019. Mr. John Gillis writes that he drilled the well while prospecting for 
lignite. He adds: "This well is 1\ miles from the outcrop of the lignite on Sabine 
River. It was 85 feet 4 inches to the lignite. This is overlaid by a stratum of soft 
slate or soapstone, and is underlaid by a stratum of soft gray sandstone. At 241 feet 
another stratum of lignite was met. The well was continued to a depth of 271 feet. 
The artesian flow came from a sand bed at 160 feet." 



INDEX. 



A - Page. 

Acknowledgments to those aiding 13-14 

Agricultural and Mechanical College, well of, 

section of 136 

Algoa, well of St. Louis, Brownsville & Mex- 
ico Railway at, section of 174 

Algoa Townsite Co., well of, section of 173-174 

Alkali, injury from, in water forirrigation . . 105-106 
Alta Loma, wells of Galveston waterworks at, 

notes on and sections of 170-172 

Analyses, table of 110 

table of, explanation of 102, 104, 106, 110 

Anderson County, geology and hydrology 

of 110-111 

well data in 111-114 

Angelina-Caldwell flexure, description of 85-86 

Angelina County, geology and hydrology of. 114-115 

well data in 115-120 

Appleby, well of Producers Oil Co. east of, 

section of 312-313 

Artesian systems, structure of 90 

B. 

Bajada, definition of footnote, 15 

Barbers Hill, Higgins well (No. 2) at, section 

of 142-143 

Batson, well No. 4 of Higgins Oil & Fuel Co. 

at, section of 196-197 

well of J. W. Ennis near, section of 193 

well of R. P. Allen & Co. at, section of. . 194-195 

well of S. Private near, section of 193-194 

well of Texas Drilling Co. near, section of. 196 

well of W. "Weyant near, section of 194 

wells of Crown Oil Co. near, sections of. . 195 
wells of J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co. at, 

sections of 191-193 

Beaumont, Almaden well southwest of, sec- 
tion of 281-282 

Caswell well near, section of 282 

Sanger well north of, section of 285 

well at Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Rail- 
way station at, section of 281 

well of American Oil Co. west of, section 

of 283-285 

well on Chaison Place at, section of 281 

Beaumont clay, nature and position of 80-81 

water from 95 

Big Creek, Lesterjette Well No. 1 south of, 

section of 300 

Bobbin, well of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe 

Railway Co. at , section of 307 

Boilers, water for, substances objectionable 

in 102-105 

Bottom lands, description of 18-19 

Brazoria County, geology and hydrology of. 120-121 

well data in 121-132 

Brazoria Development Co., well of, section of. 127 



Page. 
Brazos County, geology and hydrology of. . 132-133 

well data in 133-136 

Brazos River, Cook Mountain formation on.. 56-60 

Brazos County, Catahoula sandstone in 71-72 

Fleming clay in 74 

Brazos River, Midway formation on 33-35 

Mount Selman formation on 52 

Wilcox formation north of 44 

Wilcox formation on 41-44 

Yegua formation on 66 

Bronson, well of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe 

Railway Co. at, section of 335-336 

Brookshire, well of C. Wilson north of, sec- 
tion of 355 

Brown, F. B., acknowledgments to 13 

Bryan Heights, Reed well at, section of 128 

Burkeville, fossils from 72-73 

Burleson County, well data in 136-137 

C. 

Calvert, well at Gibson's gin near, section of. 330 

well of E. S. Peters near, section of 330 

Cameron, William, & Co., well of, section of. 118-119 

Carboniferous rocks, presence of, inferred 26 

Cass County, Wilcox formation in 44-45 

Catahoula artesian system, description of 94 

Catahoula sandstone, fossils in 70, 71 

nature and occurrence of 68-70 

sections of 70-72 

waters from, character of 108-109 

See also in Geology and hydrology under 
names of counties. 

Cedar Bayou, well near, section of 238-239 

Cenozoic deposits, table showing 27-29 

Center, well of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe 

Railway Co. at, section of 341-342 

Chambers County, geology and hydrology of. 138 

well data in 139-146 

Chappell well in Hardin County, section of. 197-198 
Cherokee County, Cook Mountain formation 

in 62-64 

geology and hydrology of 146-147 

Mount Selman formation in 53-54 

well data in 147-148 

Chireno, well of Mammoth Oil, Mineral & 

Land Co. near, section of 317 

Claiborne group, divisions of 51 

Clay, well at, section of 137 

Cleveland, well of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe 

Railway Co. at, section of 295 

Coast Prairie, description of 16 

artesian system of, description of 94 

Columbia, Arnold well No. 3 at, section of. . 128-130 
Conroe, well of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe 

Railway Co. at, section of 307-308 

Constructional plains, definition of footnote. 18 

Cook Mountain formation, fossils In 56,57-60, 

62,64,65 

361 



362 



INDEX. 



Page. 
Cook Mountain formation, nature and occur- 
rence of 56 

sections of 56-65 

Cooking, water for, substances objectionable 

in 101 

Cooks Springs-Caddo fault and flexure, de- 
scription of 86 

Corrosion, tendency of water for 103 

Corsicana Cuesta, description of 18 

Cretaceous rocks, position of 26-27 

Cuesta, definition of footnote, 15 

D. 

Ball, W. H., determinations of fossils by 72-73 

Dayton, Quintette well No. 1 of Sun Co. at, 

section of 295-297 

well at, soction of 297-298 

well of Taylor-Dayton Co. at, section of. 298-299 

Depth to reservoirs, how to ascertain 96 

Destructional plains, definition of footnote, 18 

Dewitt artesian system, description of 94 

Dewitt formation, fossils in 75 

nature and occurrence of 74-76 

waters from, character of 108 

Dickey, A. T., acknowledgments to 13 

Dies, well of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Rail- 
way Co. at, section of 219 

Dissolved matter in water, nature of 99-100 

Dole, R. B. , acknowledgments to 14 

classification of waters by 102, 104, 110 

Domes, nature and origin of 84 

Domestic use, water for, requirements in. . 100-102 

Drainage of the region 19-21 

Drinking water, requirements in 100-101 

Dumble, E. T., acknowledgments to 13 

E. 

Echo, well of Texas & New Orleans Railroad 

Co. at, section of 321 

Eocene series, divisions and distribution of. . 29-68 
lower, artesian system of, description of.. 91-92 
See also in Geology and hydrology under 
names of counties. 

Equitable Mining Co., well of, section of 130 

Erosion, results of 22 

Ezell place, well on, section of 113-114 

F. 

Falls County , M id way formation in 33, 35 

well data in 148-149 

Faults, descriptions of 85-87 

Felt, C. F. W., acknowledgments to 13 

Fenneman, N. M. , acknowledgments to 13 

Fleming clay, fossils in 72-73 

name and correlation of 72 

nature and occurrence of 74 

Flexures, minor, description of 86 

Foaming, causes of 102-103 

Formations, description of 23-24 

Fort Bend County, geology and hydrology of. 149 

well data in 150-152 

Fossils in Beaumont clay 81 

in Catahoula sandstone 70, 71 

in Cook Mountain formation. 56,57-00,62,64,65 

in Lissie gravel 80 

in marine Miocene beds 76, 77 

in middle Pleistocene terrace 82 



Page. 

Fossils in Midway formation 32-30 

in Mount Selman formation 52, 53-55 

in Recent deposits 83-84 

in Wilcox formation 40-41, 44, 46, 50 

nature and importance of 24-25 

Fostoria, well of Foster Lumber Co. at, section 

of 306-307 

Freestone County, geology and hydrology of. 153 
well data in 153-154 

G. 

Galveston, Galveston deep well at, section 

of '. 166-169 

wells of city water works of, notes on 

and sections of 170-172 

Galveston County, geology and hydrology 

of 154-156 

well data in 157-176 

Galveston Island, well of Atlantic & Pacific 

Oil Co. on, section of 169-170 

Gary, well of R. E. Trabue near, section of. 322-323 

Garrett, L., acknowledgments to 13 

Genoa, well No. 1 of Galveston, Houston & 
Henderson Railroad Co. at, sec- 
tion of 235 

Geologic column, formation and subdivisions 

of 22-24 

Grand Saline, Richardson's well at, section 

of 352-353 

well of Lone Star Co. near, section of 352 

well of Southern Salt Co. near, section of. 353 

Gregg County, geology and hydrology of 176 

well data in 177-180 

Grimes County, Fleming clay in 74 

geology and hydrology of 180-181 

well data in 181-186 

Groesbeck, well of A. W. Kennedy near, sec- 
tion of 302 

Ground water, movement of 89-90 

source of 87 

uses of 96 

Groveton, well of Groveton Light & Ice Co. at, 

section of 345 

wells of Trinity County Lumber Co. at, 

sections of 345-346 

Gulf Coastal Plain, extent and features of 14-15 

H. 

Hardin County, geology and hydrology of. 186-187 

well data in 187-219 

Harris, June, acknowledgments to 13 

Harris County, geology and hydrology of 220 

well data in 221-240 

Harrisburg, well of Texas & New Orleans 

Railroad Co. at, section of 234 

Harrison County, geology and hydrology of. 240-241 

Mount Selman formation in 54 

well data in 241-244 

Wilcox formation in 44, 45-46 

Hayes, C. W., acknowledgments to 13 

Henderson County, geology and hydrology 

of 244-245 

well data in 245-246 

Higgins, Patillo, acknowledgments to 13 

High Island, Big Four wells at, sections of. . 143-144 
Carroll well at, section of 145 



INDEX. 



363 



Hilgard, E. W., cited 106-107 

Hitchcock, well of Colorado & Santa Fe Rail- 
way Co. at, section of 172 

well of Fred D. Lemke near, section of. . . 173 
Hockley, limestone from Higgins well No. 1 

at, analysis of 232 

Horger, well near, section of 252-253 

Hoskins Mound, well at, section of 126 

Houston, Crystal Springs well near, section of. 238 

well at, section of 237 

wells of Houston Waterworks Co. at, sec- 
tions of 235-237 

Houston County, geology and hydrology of. 246-247 

well data in 247-249 

Houston & Texas Central Railroad, well of, 

section of 136 

Humble, well of Houston, East & West Texas 

Railway Co. at, section of 240 

well of P. M. Granberry & Co. at, section 

of 239 

Westheimer well near, section of 239-240 

Huntsville, well of Texas State Penitentiary 

at, section of 357 

Hussakof, L., fossils determined by 76 

I. 

Impurities in water, nature of 97-100 

Iris, well east of, partial section of 346-347 

J. 

Jackson formation, fossils in 67, 68, 213 

nature and occurrence of 67 

section of 68 

Jacksonville, Texas & New Orleans Railroad 

Co.'s well at, section of 148 

Jasper, Radium Oil Co. well near, section of. . 257 
Seale farm well near, section of 256-257 

Jasper County, geology and hydrology of. . 249-250 
well data in 250-259 

Jefferson County, geology and hydrology of. 259-261 

well data in 261-288 

well of Gulf Coast Oil & Land Co. in, sec- 
tion of. 282-283 

K. 

Kaufman County, hydrology and well data 

of. 289 

Midway formation in 36 

Keith, well of W. T. Schumacher near, section 

of. 185-186 

Kellie, F. I., acknowledgments to 13 

Kennedy, William, acknowledgments to 13 

Kilgore, well of John O. Buenz near, section 

of 178 

Kimmey, A. P., acknowledgments to 13 

well of, section of 117-118 

Kirbyville, well at, section of 255 

well No. 1 of Kirbyville Oil Co. near, sec- 
tion of. 255-256 

Kisatchie Wold, description of. 16 

Kiser Hill, wells at, sections of. 131-132 

Kountze Bros., well of, section of 119-120 

L. 

Lake, Joe, acknowledgments to 13 

Lamarque, well of Galveston, Houston & 

Henderson Railroad at, section of. 176 
well of Kohfeldt <fc Braun near, section of . 175 



Page. 
League City, well of Galveston, Houston & 
Henderson Railroad at, section 

of...' 174-175 

Leon County, hydrology and well data in. . 289-290 
Lewis Ferry, Ralph well No. 1 near, section 

of 258-259 

Liberty, well of C. W. Fisher near, section of. 294 
Liberty County, geology and hydrology in. 290-291 

well data in 291-300 

Limestone from Hockley, analysis of. 232 

Limestone County, geology and hydrology 

of. 300-301 

Midway formation in 35-36 

well data in 301-302 

Lissie gravel, fossils in 80 

nature and occurrence of. 78-80 

section of 80 

waters from, character of 107-108 

See also in Geology and hydrology under 
names of counties. 

Living matter in water, nature of 98 

Longview, Buenz well near, section of 179 

well of R. G. Brown at, section of 1-79 

well of Texas & Pacific Railway Co. at, 

section of 180 

M. 

McCarthy, P. A., acknowledgments to 13 

Madison County, hydrology and well data 

of. 302-303 

Marion County, hydrology and well data of. 303-304 
Marshall, deep well of Marshall waterworks 

near, section of 243-244 

well of Arkansas & Texas Consolidated 

Ice & Coal Co. at, section of 244 

well of W. J. Roseborough, sr., near, 

partial section of 244 

Matson, G. C, on fossils from BurkeviUe 72-73 

Melrose, well of Lubricating Oil Co. near, sec- 
tion of 311 

Mettauer, J. P., acknowledgments to 13 

Michaux, F. W., acknowledgments to 13 

Midway formation, fossils in 32-36 

nature and occurrence of. 29-32 

sections of 33-37 

Milam County, Midway formation in 34-35 

well data in 308 

Wilcox formation in 35,41-43 

Milvid, well of Miller & Vidor Lumber Co. 

near, section of 299 

well of T. B. Allen & Co. at, section of 299 

Mineola. well at, partial section of 359-360 

well of Mineola Light & Ice Co. at, sec- 
tion of 358-359 

Mineral waters, curative value of 106-107 

Miocene marine beds, nature and occurrence 

of 76-77 

water from 95 

See also in Geology and hydrology under 
names of counties. 
Miocene series, divisions and distribution of. . 72-77 
Montgomery County, geology and hydrology 

of 304-305 

well data in 305-30S 

Moore well, section of 146 

Mounds, description of 19 



364 



INDEX. 



Page. 

Mount Behnaa formation, fossils in 52,53-55 

nature and occurrence of 51-52 

sections of 52-55 

waters from, character of 109 

N. 

Nacatoch sand, artesian system of, descrip- 
tion of 90-91 

See also in Geology and hydrology under 
names of counties. 
Nacogdoches, well No. 2 of Nacogdoches Ice 

& Cold Storage Co. at, section of. . 316 
Nacogdoches County, geology and hydrology 

of 309 

well data in 309-317 

Nacogdoches Wold, description of 16-18 

Navarro County, hydrology and well data of. . 318 
Navasota, E. L. Bridge well at, partial sec- 
tion of 183 

well at, section of 183 

well of Mineral Springs Mining & Develop- 
ment Co. north of, section of 183-184 

Neches River, Fleming clay on 74 

Newton County, hydrology and well data 

in 318-320 

Nome, well of C. S. Edgar, west of, section 

of 286-287 

well of Texas & New Orleans Railroad Co., 

section of 287 

Nonliving matter in water, nature of 98-100 

Northeast Texas. Mount Selman formation 

in 52 

Wilcox formation in 44-46 

O. 

Oil City, well of Higgins Oil & Fuel Co. at, 

section of 313-315 

well of Nip Oil Co. near, section of 316-317 

well of Williams Bros. near, section of 316 

Olive, well of Olive-Sternenberg Lumber Co. 

at, section of 199 

Oligocene series, distribution of 68-72 

Orange, well of J. W. Link at, section of 321 

Orange County, geology and hydrology of 320 

well data in 320-322 

P. 

Paleontologic unit, definition of 25 

Palestine Oil Co. , well of, section of 112 

Palestine Water & Power Co., well of, section 

of 112 

Panola County, hydrology and well data of. 322-323 

Pedigo, well near, section of 349 

Physiography of the region 14-21 

Pimple plains, description of 19 

Pleistocene series, divisions and distribution 

of 78-83 

Pliocene series, distribution of 77-78 

Polk County, Catahoula sandstone in 71 

geology and hydrology of 323-324 

well data in 324-325 

1 'riming of boilers, cause of 103 

Q. 

Quaternary rocks, position of 27-28 

Quaternary system, divisions and features of. 78-84 
Queen City sand member, importance of 44 



R - Page. 

Rainfall, mean annual, map showing 88 

Recent series, nature and distribution of 83-84 

Remlig, well of Alexander Gilmer Lumber Co. 

at, section of 254-255 

Robertson County, geology and hydrology 

of 325-326 

well data in 326-330 

Wilcox formation in 43-44 

Robertsons Ferry, well of East Texas Timber 

& Oil Co. near, section of 333-334 

Rockland, wells in vicinity of, figure showing. 347 
wells of Kountze Bros, near, sections of. . 257- 

258,349-350 
Rosenberg, well of C. Hillar near, section of. . 152 
Rusk County, hydrology and well data of. . . 331 

S. 

Sabine County, geology and hydrology of 332 

well data in 332-336 

Wilcox formation in 48-51 

Sabine Pass, Stribling well at, section of. . . 287-288 
well of Texas Oil Co. west of, section of. . 288 

Sabine River, Catahoula sandstone on ... 70 

Cook Mountain formation on 64-65 

Fleming clay on 74 

Jackson formation on 68 

Mount Selman formation on 55 

Wilcox formation on 46-51 

Yegua formation on 67 

Sabine uplift, description of 86-87 

Sabinetown, well of Sabine Oil & Mineral Co. 

near, section of 334-33S 

San Augustine, well No. 1 of Santa Fe Rail- 
way Co. near, section of 338-339 

San Augustine County, Catahoula sandstone 

in 70 

geology and hydrology of 336-337 

well data in 337-339 

San Jacinto County, hydrology and well data 

of 339-340 

San Pedro, well of East Texas Oil Co. at, sec- 
tion of 248-249 

Saratoga, Hardie-Robinson wells at, sections 

of 205-208 

Kountz well No. 2 near, section of 199 

well of Libby Oil Co. near, section of. . 201-202 
well of Saratoga Oil & Pipe Line Co., sec- 
tion of 200-201 

wells at, sections of 199-200, 202-205, 211-21$ 

wells of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Rail- 
way Co. near, sections of 208-211 

Saturation, zone of 87-89 

Scale, formation of 103-104 

Seabrook, well of Seabrook Oil Co. at, section 

of 233-234 

Sedimentation, results of 22-2t 

Shelby County, geology and hydrology of 34* 

well data in 341-342 

Wilcox formation in 46-48 

Shumard, B. F., cited 75-76 

Silsbee, well of Gulf, Colorado <fe Santa Fe 

Railway Co. at, section of 198 

Simonds, F. W., acknowledgments to It 

Smith County, hydrology and well data of.. 342-341 

Soap cost, mode of calculating 101 

Soluble matter in water, nature of 99-100 



INDEX. 



365 



Page. 
Sourlake, Guffey well No. 1 at, section of... 215 

Higgins well No. 8 at, section of 217-218 

R. Chappell well near, section of 213-214 

well No. 4 of J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co. 

at, section of 215-217 

well No. 1 of Sourlake Springs Co. at, sec- 
tion of 214 

well of Empire State Oil, Coal & Iron Co. 

near, section of 214-215 

wells of Atlantic & Pacific Oil Co. at, sec- 
tions of 218-219 

Spindletop, Allyne well near, section of 275 

Bayou City well near, section of 267-268 

Geyser-Kaltenbach well at, section of. . 273-274 

Harby well near, section of 268-269 

Slaughter-Masterson well near, section 

of 269-271 

Treadway well near, section of 271 

United States well east of, section of 274 

well No. 1 of Denver-Beaumont Oil Tank 

& Pipe Line Co. at, section of.. 271-272 
well No. 4 of Southern Co. at, section of. 272-273 
well of J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co. at, sec- 
tion of 279 

wells of Heywood Oil Co. at, sections of. 279-281 
wells of Higgins Oil & Fuel Co. at, sec- 
tions of 275-278 

Springs, occurrence of 97 

8tabler, Herman, classification of irrigation 

waters by 106 

formulas by 101, 103, 104, 105 

Stilson, well of Hill-Brown Rice Land & Irri- 
gation Co. at, section of 294-295 

well west of, section of 295 

Stock, water for, admissible substances in 102 

Stribling well in Hardin County, section of. . 198 

Structure of the region 84-87 

Suspended matter in water, nature of 98-99 

Systems, description of 23 

T. 

Tamina, well of Dick Naylor Oil Co. at, sec- 
tion of 308 

Taylor, T. U. , acknowledgments to 13 

Terrace deposits, nature and position of 81-83 

Tertiary rocks, position of 27-28 

Thompson, well of Mr. Whisnand near, sec- 
tion of 152 

Timber, character of 21 

Topography of the region 16-21 

Trinity County, geology and hydrology of. . 343-344 

well data in 344-347 

Trinity River, Cook Mountain formation on. . 60-62 

Mount Selman formation on 52-53 

well of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway 

Co. on, section of 294 

Tyler, well of Col. W. S. Herndon at, partial 

section of 343 

Tyler County, Catahoula sandstone in 70-71 

geology and hydrology of 347-348 

well data in 348-350 



U. Page. 

Uplift, description of 86-87 

Upshur County, hydrology of 350 

Uvalde formation, nature and occurrence of. . 77-78 

V. 

Van Zandt County, hydrology and well data 

of 351-353 

Midway formation in 36-37 

Vaughan, T . Wayland, acknowledgments to . 14 

Veatch , A . C. , acknowledgments to 13 

Votaw, well of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe 

Railway Co., section of 213 

W. 

Walker County, geology and hydrology 

of 355-356 

well data in 356-357 

Waller County, geology and hydrology of. . 353-354 

well data in 354-355 

Washing, water for, substances objectionable 

in 101 

Water for boilers, substances objectionable 

in 102-105 

for domestic use, requirements in 100-102 

for irrigation, substances objectionable 

in 105-106 

for stock, admissible substances in 102 

hard, nature of 101 

living matter in 98 

salt, occurrence of 95 

suspended matter in 98-99 

therapeutic use of 106-107 

See also Ground water. 

Water tables, positions of 88-89, 90 

Wells , classes of 87 

Westfield, wells of Turkey Creek Oil Co. near, 

sections of 231-232 

White Rock Escarpment, description of 18 

Wiess Bluff, Wiess & Sanders wells near, 

sections of 253-254 

Wilcox formation, fossils in 40-41 , 44, 46, 50 

nature and occurrence of 37-40 

sections of 41-51 

waters from, character of 109-110 

Windom, well at, section of 119 

Winnie, Dixie Oil & Pipe Line Co.'s well 

near, section of 145-146 

Wold, definition of footnote, 15 

Wood County, hydrology and well data of. . 357-360 
Wilcox formation in 44 

Y. 

Yegua formation, artesian system of, de- 
scription of 92-94 

nature and occurrence of 65 

sections of 66-67 

waters from, character of 109 

See also in (feology and hydrology under, 
names of counties. 

Z. 

Zimbi, well at, section of 232 






O 



^ 










.,,„. IC map i^^^^^^^^iXoif^r^sT n 

! APPROXIMATELY THE ABEAX DlhTltlHU nu« 

Compiler] and partly revised by Alexander Deusaen. 101- 



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GEORG J35 PLATE VII 




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97 



Base 

I9i0, 

topoc 

Survi 

(1894 

LaUe 

Sabir 

sourc 



fcs 



LEGEND 




Area of flowing wells 

Uncolored portions of the available area 
represent tracts of nonflowing wells. ) 



gj than indicated) 



~Z*\ 




Flowing well, fresh water 



Flowing well, salt water 




Nonflowing well, fresh water 



NOTE. Deptn to base of a water horizon is the 
sum of the altitude of the place and the depth 
below sea level indicated by the water contours. 
Salt water may be expected at shallower depth? 
in proximity to fault lines and mounds than in 
adjacent regions. See figure 6 for location of 
faults and mounds. The 10-mile strip along the 
coast yields salt water at all depths. The depth 
to salt water increases with increasing distance 
from the coast. To avoid salt water no well n 
the area should exceed 1,500 feet in depth. 



exander Deussen 
07 




PRELIMINARY MAP OF THE NACATOCH, YEGUA, AND EISSIE ARTESIAN RESERVOIRS 
IN TEXAS. EAST OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH MERIDIAN 

SGale i .-■■"■< Geoloqy i- 



Sum in IK 



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II 



u. ; 
geor£ plate viii 



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.29 



97 



Base 
1910, 

topoc 
Surve 
(1894, 
Lake 
Sabir 
sou re 



onder De 



LEGEND 





PRELIMINARY MAP OF THE LOWER EOCENE 






iJlAAb, EA&T 01 IHI, NINETV-SEVENTII .MERIDIAN 



/ 



APER 335 PLATE IX 









~;30l 



gw yCAMERONl 

bi4: Artliur 



LEGEND 






Area of flowing wells 



g 



Approximate northern limit 
of the Dewitt formation 



J 



Flowing well, fresh water 




Contours showing approximate 
position with respect to sea 
level of the base 01 the Dewitt 
formation 



© 
t 




Area of flowing wells 



*9P- 



U. S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 
GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 335 PLATE IX 




Area of flowing wells 



PRELIMINARY MAP OF THE DEWITT AND MARINE MIOCENE ARTESIAN RESERVOIRS 
IN TEXAS, EAST OF THE NINETY- SEVENTH MERIDIAN 



Base drawn mainly from post-route map of Texas, 
1910, with corrections and additions from preliminary 
topographic sheets of United States'Geological 
Survey; surveys of Brazos River (1900), Trinity River 
(18*), 1895, and 1903), Cypress Bayou and Caddo 
Lake (1892), by the War Department; map of 
Sabine River by A. C. Veatch (1902), and other 
5 8! 



.(■•;llc i ,il ii ■ 



Geology by 

I -n 1907 



30 40 50 > 



Approximate northern limit 
of the Dewitt formation 



Flowing well, fresh water 



-lOOOJ 

Contours showing approximate 
position with respect to sea 
level of the base of the Dewitt 
formation 



Area of flowing wells 



.09-°' 



g ( Contours Bhowing approximate 
^ ' position with respect to sea 
a | level of the base of the marine 
C i Miocene strata 

o 



NOTE: Depth to base of a water 
horizon is the sum of the altitude 
of the place and the depth below 
sea level indicated by the water 



/ 



lr'15 



*«■/ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



019 953 677 1 



